CGST officials arrested for accepting Rs 1.5L bribe in Mumbai

Mumbai, March 15, 2024 

The CBI subsequently laid a trap and caught the inspector as he accepted the Rs 1.5 lakh bribe amount from the complainant on behalf of the assistant commissioner.

According to CBI officials, the two arrested personnel were identified as Suhas C Bhalerao and Shubham Das who were employed as assistant commissioner and inspector respectively with the CGST.. (File photo)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested an assistant commissioner and an inspector from the CGST for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh. The officials said that the complainant, a partner in a transport firm, was allegedly issued a show cause notice and the money was demanded by CGST officials to settle service tax.

According to CBI officials, the two arrested personnel were identified as Suhas C Bhalerao and Shubham Das who were employed as assistant commissioner and inspector respectively with the CGST.

The CBI officials revealed that Bhalerao had issued a show cause notice against the complainant in a case pertaining to the service tax.

“It was also alleged that the accused assistant commissioner demanded Rs 6 lakh bribe from the complainant for settling the show cause notice related to service tax. After negotiations, the accused public servant agreed to accept a bribe amount of Rs 1.5 lakh,” the CBI said.

The complainant was further directed to hand over the bribe amount to the inspector.

The CBI subsequently laid a trap and caught the inspector as he accepted the Rs 1.5 lakh bribe amount from the complainant on behalf of the assistant commissioner.

“Both of them have been arrested by the CBI. Searches are being conducted at residential and official premises of accused public servants,” the CBI said.

[The Indian Express]