CBI arrests IRS officer, 2 others in Rs 40 lakh bribery case

The CBI has arrested an IRS officer, a CGST superintendent and a private person in a Rs 40 lakh bribery case in Maharashtra's Raigad. The case involves an alleged Rs 1.5 crore demand to settle a GST/royalty matter. A CBI trap led to the bribe recovery, while searches yielded Rs 43 lakh cash and jewellery worth Rs 90 lakh.

In Short

• Bribe demand initially Rs 1.50 crore, later reduced to Rs 40 lakh
• Bribe collected through private person caught red-handed
• Rs 43 lakh cash and Rs 90 lakh jewellery seized in searches

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an IRS officer serving as Additional Commissioner of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, Vinay Kumar Kanheti (IRS-2009), along with CGST Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha and a private person, Narinder Rajput, in a bribery case.

The CBI registered the case on August 26 against CGST Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha following allegations that he had demanded an undue advantage of Rs 1.50 crore to settle a GST/royalty matter involving the complainant’s stone-quarrying firm.

After negotiations, the demand was subsequently reduced to Rs 40 lakh. The accused public servants had arranged for the bribe to be collected through a private person and accordingly, directed the complainant to make the payment.

The CBI laid a trap and caught the private person red-handed while accepting the Rs 40 lakh bribe. The acceptance of the bribe amount was subsequently acknowledged by CGST Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha and Additional Commissioner of CGST Vinay Kumar Kanheti.

All three accused persons have been arrested and are being produced before the competent court.

Searches conducted at the premises of the accused persons resulted in the recovery of Rs 43 lakh in cash and jewellery worth approximately Rs 90 lakh. Further investigation in the case is continuing.

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