New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) The CBI has arrested a driver while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh – the first instalment of the bribe – on behalf of two accused public servants of Central Goods and Service Tax (CGST), Meerut, an official said on Thursday.
Complainant businessman Anil Raghav, a resident of Meerut, alleged in his complaint that Aftab Singh, Superintendent, CGST, Meerut, and Vikas, inspector, CGST, had demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from him on the pretext of alleged filing of GST of his firm Home Care Solution.
He was delivering half of the bribe money to a driver of Aftab Singh when the latter was arrested.
Raghav said Inspector Vikas called him on his WhatsApp and demanded the bribe, threatening that he may order punitive action for GST wrongdoings – mismatch in sales and purchase bills of his firm.
During investigation of the case, accused public servants directed the complainant to deliver the bribe money of Rs 2 lakh to the driver (private person) of Superintendent Aftab Singh, said a CBI official.
The CBI laid a trap and caught accused driver (private person) red handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of Rs 1 lakh (as the first installment of demanded bribe on behalf of accused public servants) from the complainant, outside the office premises of CGST, Meerut Division Office.
The accused driver has been arrested and a case of criminal conspiracy and Prevention of Corruption Act was filed, the CBI said in a statement.
Searches were conducted by the CBI at residential and official premises of accused at Meerut, which led to recovery of cash and incriminating documents, pertaining to investment in several properties, it said.
On receiving a complaint from Anil Raghav, the allegation levelled by him were discreetly verified by one of the officer of the branch which corroborated the role of Superintendent Aftab Singh and Inspector Vikas in the alleged offence.
“The above facts prima facie, disclose commission of cognizable offences punishable under section 61(2) of BNS 2023 and 7 of PC Act 1988 (as amended in 2018)…, thus, a regular case is registered,” said the preliminary inquiry report by CBI, ACB, Ghaziabad.
–IANS
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