A special CBI court on Monday remanded two Central GST officials to judicial custody in connection with an alleged Rs 10 lakh bribery demand from a hotelier.
The accused, Assistant Commissioner Vivek Verma and GST Inspector Sachin Khare were produced before the court after the completion of their three-day Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remand. The court ordered that both officials be sent to judicial custody as investigations continue.
Alleged Bribe Demand After Rs 1 Crore GST Recovery Notice
According to the CBI, the case stems from a Rs 1 crore GST recovery notice issued to the complainant, a hotel owner. The officials allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh in exchange for providing "protection" and relief in the matter.
The investigation agency claimed that the accused had initially agreed to accept the amount in instalments. As part of the operation, a trap was laid by the CBI, and the hotelier was sent with marked currency to meet the officials.
Caught Red-Handed Accepting Rs 4 Lakh
During the trap operation, Vivek Verma and Sachin Khare were allegedly caught red-handed while accepting Rs 4 lakh as part of the bribe amount. The CBI immediately arrested both officials at the spot.
A third accused, Mukesh Verman, a superintendent in the GST department, is also named in the FIR. However, he managed to flee during the operation and is currently absconding, officials said. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest him.
Case Raises Concerns Over Misuse of GST Enforcement Powers
The case has once again raised concerns among taxpayers and professionals about the misuse of recovery proceedings and enforcement powers under GST. Tax experts note that while strict action against evasion is necessary, alleged instances of corruption undermine trust in the system and place undue pressure on genuine businesses.
The CBI has stated that further investigation is ongoing to ascertain whether more officials were involved and to examine past cases handled by the accused officers.
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