A GST official posted in Noida was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 45,000 from a local businessman, officials said on Monday. The arrest was made by the Vigilance Team from the Meerut Sector following a complaint by the businessman.
The accused, identified as Satendra Bahadur Singh, was working in Section-13 of the State GST Division, Noida, for the past two years. He is now facing a departmental inquiry in addition to criminal charges.
According to the complaint filed by Pramod Tiwari, a Noida-based businessman, his firm had regularly deposited VAT and GST dues on time. However, on April 29, he received a call from a person named Bhudev, who claimed that the tax assessment for the financial years 2016-17 and 2017-18 was still pending. Bhudev further informed Tiwari that he owed an outstanding amount of Rs 4.55 lakh and asked him to visit the GST office.
Tiwari visited the office on May 9, where he was threatened with legal action if he failed to pay the due amount. Later, on May 13, he met GST official Satendra Bahadur Singh, who allegedly demanded a Rs 50,000 bribe to settle the matter.
Instead of complying, Tiwari approached the Vigilance Department, Meerut Sector, and registered a formal complaint. Acting on this, the vigilance team laid a trap. On May 19, Tiwari called the accused and offered to pay Rs 45,000. As soon as Singh accepted the bribe, the vigilance team apprehended him on the spot.
The case has been registered at Knowledge Park Police Station in Greater Noida under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A senior official from the Noida Zone State GST Division confirmed that a departmental inquiry will be conducted against Singh.
This incident adds to growing concerns over alleged corruption within tax departments and raises questions about the need for stricter internal vigilance and accountability mechanisms.
CAclubindia
