CBI arrests Chennai Income Tax officer and CA in a bribery case

The CBI has arrested an Income Tax officer and a chartered accountant in Chennai for their alleged involvement in a Rs 2.25 lakh bribery case, officials said on Saturday.

The bureau's action came after an FIR was registered against CPWD’s superintendent engineer Sanjay Chinchghare, assistant valuation officer D.Manjunathan and chartered accountant Satgurudas and Suresh, the assessee and property owner, they said.

Chinchghare was also posted as district valuation officer in Chennai Income Tax Valuation Cell.

A case was registered by the CBI against the accused on allegations that Suresh had declared a high-value property transaction in his Income Tax return which was referred to the Income Tax Valuation Cell by National Faceless Assessment Centre, New Delhi, the officials said.

Manunathan allegedly inspected the property and underlined the difference in the property value, they said.

"The competent authority in finalising the valuation was a superintending engineer (Planning) Chinchghare, CPWD, Chennai, who was holding charge of District Valuation Officer (DVO), IT Valuation Cell, Chennai,” a CBI spokesperson said.

"It was also alleged that the Income Tax Valuation Cell officials had demanded a bribe of Rs 3.50 lakh from the property owner Suresh for showing official favour, who had sent the money through his Auditor/CA Satgurudas to be delivered to said AVO," CBI spokesperson said.

Following the inputs about the alleged bribe exchange, CBI intercepted Manjunathan and Satgurudas at the time money was allegedly changing hands, leading to their arrest, they said.

"An amount of Rs.2.25 lakhs was recovered from the AVO and the favourable letter/order in respect of the said property was recovered from the chartered accountant," the spokesperson said.

He said searches resulted in the seizure of Rs 9 lakh from the possession of Manjunathan and a cash of Rs. 1.25 lakh from Satgurudas.

"It was alleged that Rs.1.25 lakh out of a total bribe of Rs.3.50 lakh was taken by the Auditor/CA as his charges for mediation by him in the matter," the spokesperson said.