In a major crackdown on corruption in the taxation department, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Faridabad, on Monday arrested a female GST Inspector, identified as Sumitra, while she was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 in exchange for issuing a GST registration number.
The accused was posted at the Office of the District Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Palwal. The arrest was made following a complaint by an individual who had applied for a GST number and claimed that Sumitra demanded a bribe to process his application.
According to ACB officials, the complainant approached their office after being contacted by Sumitra on May 27, who asked him to visit the GST office in Palwal. Upon meeting him on May 30, she allegedly cited deficiencies in his documents and demanded a cash bribe of Rs 5,000 for further processing. The ACB laid a trap and arrested her red-handed while accepting the money.
Repeat Offender in Corruption Cases
This is not Sumitra's first brush with anti-corruption authorities. In 2022, she was arrested by the ACB, Panipat, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh, along with co-accused Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) Roshan Lal. A senior ACB officer confirmed that a charge sheet in that earlier case was filed in July 2022, and the matter is still pending trial in court.
ACB sources noted that her reappointment and continued presence in the department despite a previous arrest raises serious questions about internal monitoring and departmental accountability in the Excise and Taxation Department.
Strict Vigil on Corruption in GST Administration
The arrest has once again brought to light the vulnerabilities in GST administration, where small businesses and traders often face harassment and delays unless bribes are paid. With the Centre pushing for transparent tax compliance, such cases of corruption undermine public trust in the system.
The ACB has reiterated its commitment to maintaining zero tolerance toward corruption and has urged the public to report any such incidents.
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