CBI Catches CGST Officers in Mumbai Taking Rs 20 Lakh Bribe
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has caught three people, including a superintendent of CGST (anti-evasion), Mumbai, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 20 lakh. The bribe was part of a larger Rs 60 lakh demand to avoid arresting a complainant.
Details of the Case
The CBI registered a case against eight accused, including six officers of CGST, Mumbai. The accused include an Additional Commissioner, a Joint Commissioner, four superintendents, and two private individuals, including a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Incident Description
On September 4, the complainant visited the CGST Office in Santacruz and was confined there overnight. During this time, a CGST superintendent demanded an Rs 80 lakh bribe, later reduced to Rs 60 lakh, to avoid arresting the complainant. The complainant was pressured and abused by the CGST officers.
The complainant’s cousin contacted the accused CA, who negotiated the bribe with senior CGST officers. The bribe amount was finalized at Rs 60 lakh, with Rs 30 lakh allegedly paid through an Angadia. The complainant was released the next day after the payment.
CBI Trap and Arrests
The CBI laid a trap and caught the CA accepting Rs 20 lakh on behalf of the CGST officers. Further controlled bribe delivery led to the arrest of the CGST superintendent near Oshivara Police Station, Mumbai. All three accused were produced before a special court, which granted police custody for the superintendent and CA until September 10. The private individual was sent to judicial custody.
Searches and Recovery
Searches were conducted at nine locations in and around Mumbai, leading to the recovery of various incriminating documents.
Doubts Revealed
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation. It is India’s main agency for investigating serious crimes like corruption and fraud.
CGST -: CGST stands for Central Goods and Services Tax. It is a tax collected by the central government on the sale of goods and services in India.
Bribe -: A bribe is money or a gift given to someone to make them do something illegal or dishonest. In this case, the officers took money to avoid arresting someone.
Mumbai -: Mumbai is a big city in India, known as the financial capital of the country. It is located in the state of Maharashtra.
Superintendent -: A superintendent is a high-ranking officer in a government department. In this case, the CGST superintendent was involved in taking the bribe.
Rs 20 Lakh -: Rs 20 Lakh means 2 million rupees. In India, ‘Lakh’ is a term used to denote 100,000 units.
Special court -: A special court is a type of court that deals with specific types of cases, like corruption or serious crimes. It is different from regular courts.
Incriminating documents -: Incriminating documents are papers or files that show someone has done something illegal. These documents can be used as evidence in court.