Mumbai: Tax officer & CA acquitted in Rs 2 lakhs bribe demand case

Mumbai, May 12, 2023

Observing that due to major lapses on the part of investigating officers, the case of prosecution cannot be proved beyond reasonable doubt, a special CBI court on Wednesday acquitted a commissioner of income tax appeal and a chartered account, accused of demanding a bribe of Rs 2.2 lakh from a senior manager of private company for closing a matter in 2011.

The complainant was to pay tax of Rs 38 lakh with penalties. The prosecution had alleged that the chartered account was caught red handed accepting the bribe.

However, acquitting public servant Ram Phool Meena and chartered accountant Umesh Pai, special judge A S Sayyad said, "... investigating officers did carry out sincere and proper investigation... they appear to have acted very causally and openly gave contradictory statement against each other."

The judge also said that the investigating officer did carry out proper investigations on point of initial demand. "On the material point, the investigating officer appears to have left some loophole, not collecting some crucial evidence. Because of the many material omission and the lapses on the part investigating officers, the prosecution appears to have failed to prove case against accused," the judge said. Among witnesses was one Jalindar Shelar, initially roped in as accused, but papers related to him went missing.

[The Times of India]