CBI Nabs CGST Officer, Consultant In ₹1-Crore Bribe Case

NEW DELHI, Sep 12: The CBI has arrested a Superintendent in the office of the Commissioner of CGST and Central Excise and a CGST consultant in connection with an alleged ₹1-crore bribe case, officials said.

The agency acted after registering an FIR on Wednesday on the complaint of the project head of a private realty company in New Panvel in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.

The company was undertaking redevelopment of two buildings in Sector 17 of New Panvel, Navi Mumbai, including 24 flats owned by the CGST and Central Excise, Raigad Commissionerate.

According to the complaint, Superintendent Pankaj Kumar allegedly demanded ₹1 crore for issuing a no-objection certificate and handing over the flats for redevelopment, a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

“During the verification of the complaint, the accused officer demanded Rs 10 lakh in cash on 10 September, while Rs 20 lakh as a down payment of a flat purchased by the accused public servant, and Rs 70 lakh at a later stage for other officers of DG HRD CGST, New Delhi,” the spokesperson said.

The CBI said it laid a trap on Thursday after Kumar directed the complainant to hand over a ₹10-lakh bribe to CGST consultant Prasad Kumar Swami, who was present there.

The agency arrested both accused on Thursday and produced them before the competent court on Friday. The court subsequently sent them to two days of police custody.

The case relates to the redevelopment of the two buildings and the alleged demand for illegal gratification in exchange for the NOC and handing over of the flats. (Agencies)