Ghaziabad police have taken significant steps in response to allegations against 5 officials from the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence ( DGGI ) for reportedly demanding a bribe of Rs. 5 crore from a local businessman. The FIR, registered on Saturday, underscores the serious nature of the accusations against the DGGI officials, who are now facing legal proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The accused officials, stationed at the DGGI Gurugram office, are currently under investigation by the police. ACP Kavinagar Abhishek Srivastava has assured that the matter is being thoroughly examined, with the plaintiff’s statement yet to be recorded. Legal action will be pursued in accordance with the evidence gathered during the investigation.
The complainant, Arun Kumar Som, who serves as the director of SKS Electricals, detailed his ordeal. He reported that his company office in Ghaziabad was raided by the GST team on July 5, 2022, allegedly for violating GST rules. Som claimed that one of the directors was arrested without a warrant during the raid, reported Indian Express.
Som further alleged that the DGGI officials demanded a bribe of Rs. 5 crore to resolve the matter and issued threats of imprisonment in case of non-compliance. Succumbing to fear, Som stated that he paid Rs. 2.35 crore over the course of a month. However, the officials persisted in their demands, asserting that the funds would be distributed among higher-ranking officials. Subsequently, Ghaziabad police registered an FIR following a court order, citing Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
According to the complaint, during the raid, the officials confiscated all computers and hard disks from the company. Despite multiple visits to the DGGI’s Gurugram office, Som claimed that the officials continued to discuss monetary settlements and discarded company documents. When Som expressed his inability to pay the demanded amount, the officials allegedly insisted that he contribute one crore, emphasising that the money would be distributed among all officers up to the top ranks. Feeling threatened, Som consulted his colleagues and arranged Rs. 50 lakh, which he paid in Bengali Market, Delhi, on July 27, 2022.
However, the harassment did not cease. Som claimed that after paying the initial sum, the officials demanded an additional Rs. 4.5 crore, accompanied by threats of imprisonment. Fearing legal consequences and societal disgrace, Som paid one crore in front of the DGGI Gurugram office on August 4, 2022, and Rs. 75 lakh on August 12, 2022, at NSC Club, Pragati Maidan, Delhi.
In January 2023, Som received another call from a new investigating officer in the case, demanding an additional Rs. 50 lakh. Despite arranging Rs. 10 lakh, Som claimed that the threats by the officers persisted. Frustrated by the actions of the DGGI officials, he filed a complaint, prompting the ongoing investigation into the alleged misconduct by the DGGI officials.
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