In yet another case of corruption within the Income Tax Department, a complaint has been filed against an IT officer in Jalgaon for demanding a bribe to process the cancellation of a newly issued PAN card. The accused officer, Rakesh Ranjan, allegedly sought ₹10,000 from a doctor but later settled for ₹5,000, instructing that the money be handed over to an office peon.
Bribery Demand After Compliance
According to the complaint filed on March 11, the doctor and her staff had met Rakesh Ranjan to submit all necessary documents as per the official requirements. Despite repeated follow-ups, the cancellation of the PAN card was not processed. On March 10, Ranjan allegedly demanded a ₹10,000 bribe, which was later negotiated down to ₹5,000.
Corruption in Routine Services
The incident highlights growing concerns over corruption in essential tax-related services. Taxpayers often struggle with bureaucratic delays and are sometimes coerced into paying bribes for basic administrative procedures.
The matter is now under investigation, and authorities are expected to take action against the accused officer.
CAclubindia
