The Anti-Corruption Bureau ( ACB ) has filed a case against an Assistant Commissioner of Maharashtra tax and several other officers from the State Goods and Services Tax ( SGST ) department for allegedly soliciting a bribe of Rs. 1 crore from a company director to settle a pending tax matter.
According to an official statement released on Tuesday, the accused individuals, including Assistant Commissioner of State Tax (investigation branch), are facing charges under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigation commenced following an official statement released on Tuesday, prompting action after the Special Commissioner of State Tax and Chief Vigilance Officer penned a letter to the Maharashtra Director General of Police ( ACB ), urging an inquiry into suspected corruption within the investigation branch of the state tax department.
Upon scrutiny, it was revealed that the Assistant Commissioner of Maharashtra Tax, alongside his team, conducted raids on a firm between July 5 and August 7 the previous year. The targeted company had accrued an outstanding tax liability exceeding Rs 20 crore. Despite repeated reminders, the firm’s director failed to settle the outstanding dues, compelling GST department officials to visit both his office and residence.
Subsequently, on August 21, 2023, the Assistant Commissioner allegedly transmitted a WhatsApp message to the director, requesting Rs. 1 crore to resolve the tax matter. Although no monetary transaction occurred, the investigation substantiated the bribery demand, prompting the registration of an FIR. The ACB has affirmed that further investigation into the case is ongoing, emphasising the gravity of the situation and the need for thorough scrutiny.
Recently, the officials from the Anti-Corruption Bureau ( ACB ) in Srikakulam district arrested a GST officer in connection with an alleged bribery case. According to ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police ( DSP ) Ramanamurthy, the incident unfolded when a cashew trader sought Input Tax Credit ( ITC ) processing from the GST Officer.
It is reported that the GST officer insisted on a bribe amounting to ₹1.5 lakh to facilitate the processing of the requested input tax. Unwilling to do corruption, the cashew trader promptly reported the case to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Acting on the complaint, the ACB advised the trader to offer ₹1 lakh to the GST officer as part of a sting operation.Read More: GST Officer caught Accepting Bribe of Rs. 1L by ACB for ITC Processing from Cashew Trader
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