Press Release: New Delhi, 20.01.2012

The Central Bureau of Investigation Mumbai has filed a charge sheet against an Additional Commissioner of Income Tax (an IRS Officer of 1992 Batch); her husband (a Chemical Engineer & a businessman of Mumbai) and an Asst. Commissioner of Income Tax in a bribery case of Rs.Two crores.

This Case was registered by the CBI in April, 2010 on the allegation of demand of bribe of Rs.2 crores by an Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax at Thane (Maharashtra). It was alleged that Income Tax Department, Thane had conducted survey of a private firm engaged in construction business.

The survey team was headed by the then Asst. Commissioner of Income Tax, Thane. While the survey was in progress, the then Addl. Commissioner visited the Office of the private firm and one of the partners of said firm was threatened that the survey action will be converted into a search operation unless a bribe amount of Rs.2 crores was not paid to her.

She also instructed the Assistant Commissioner to prepare fake documents so that a particular amount was arrived at as undisclosed income. Accordingly, fake documents were prepared by the Assistant Commissioner on the spot.  Later on the amount was reduced to Rs. 1.5 crore. The CBI arrested the Additional Commissioner and her husband while accepting the said bribe amount Rs 1.5 crores from the complainant.

Further investigation led to tracing of two more lockers of Addl. Commissioner of Income Tax and her husband, apart from one locker whose keys were found during searches.  The operation of the two lockers at IDBI Bank, Mumbai led to recovery of Rs.84 lakh in cash and jewellery worth lakhs of rupees besides documents of three properties. 

A total cash amount of Rs. 1.30 crores, apart from the bribe of Rs. 1.5 crores was recovered from the possession of Additional Commissioner.  Later, the then Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax Circle-3, Thane (Mumbai) was also arrested on 19.04.2010. Investigation further revealed that the then Asstt. Commissioner of Income Tax received Rs.10 lakhs as bribe amount on 29th March, 2010 which was part of Rs. Two Crores bribe demanded by Additional Commissioner of Income Tax Circle-3, Thane (Mumbai).

Searches were also conducted at her residential premises in Mumbai which yielded cash of Rs.6 lakhs, 3 plots at Panvel, 3 plots at Nagpur and one house at Andheri (Mumbai).

 

After thorough investigation, Mumbai, branch of CBI has filed a charge sheet against the three accused persons in the Designated Court.      

 

The public is reminded that the above findings of the CBI are not the final proof of the guilt of the accused. Under the Indian Law, the accused are presumed to be innocent till their guilt is finally established after a fair trial.

 

Source Courtesy: http://cbi.nic.in/pressreleases/pr_2012-01-20-2.php

 

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