The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against five officials of the Income Tax department and a Chartered Accountant based in Hyderabad for allegedly extorting money from taxpayers in exchange for favorable treatment in their tax matters.
According to an official CBI press release, the accused include two Inspectors and three Senior Tax Assistants from various offices of the Income Tax Department in Hyderabad. They were allegedly misusing confidential taxpayer data, particularly details of high-income tax refund claims, to threaten taxpayers with hefty penalties and demand bribes.
The accused IT officials reportedly collaborated with a Chartered Accountant, using his bank account to funnel illicit funds before transferring them into their own accounts. The CBI conducted searches at six locations in Hyderabad, leading to the recovery of incriminating documents.
The investigation is ongoing, and the CBI is expected to file charges based on further evidence. This development highlights concerns over corruption within tax enforcement agencies and raises questions about the security of taxpayer data.
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