Mumbai, August 28: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three individuals, including an additional commissioner from the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) department, in a significant bribery case in Raigad district, Maharashtra. The arrests took place on August 27.
According to a press release from the CBI, a case was registered against the CGST superintendent on August 26. He allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1.5 crore to resolve GST and royalty issues related to a stone quarry firm owned by the complainant.
During the investigation, the amount of the alleged bribe was reduced to ₹40 lakh following conversations between the accused officials and the complainant.
The CBI stated that the government officials arranged to collect the bribe through a private individual instead of directly receiving it. The complainant was instructed to deliver the money to this intermediary.
Subsequently, the CBI set a trap and caught the private individual red-handed while accepting the ₹40 lakh bribe. The agency claims that both the CGST superintendent and the additional commissioner later admitted to receiving the amount.
The CBI has arrested all three accused and is presenting them before the competent court. Following the arrests, the agency conducted searches at the suspects’ residences, recovering ₹43 lakh in cash and jewelry valued at approximately ₹90 lakh.
The CBI has stated that the investigation is ongoing and is exploring other aspects related to this bribery network. The agency is also looking into the potential involvement of other individuals and whether the seized cash and jewelry are linked to the bribery case.
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