CBI books 3, including CGST official, in ₹15 lakh bribery case

The CGST superintendent, M Sharma, was booked by the CBI on Friday, along with the firm owner and another person, after a preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had accepted the bribe in August last year

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) superintendent for demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹15 lakh from a private firm owner in lieu of diluting a departmental probe against the firm. The CGST superintendent, M Sharma, was booked by the CBI on Friday, along with the firm owner and another person, after a preliminary inquiry confirmed that he had accepted the bribe in August last year, officers familiar with the matter said.

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The CBI case was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act pertaining to criminal conspiracy, taking undue advantage to influence a public servant by corrupt or illegal means or by exercising personal influence and paying bribe to any public servant. The case was registered by the agency’s Mumbai unit following a reference from the Directorate General of Vigilance, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, West Zonal Unit dated December 12, 2025. The vigilance’s reference included a complaint by a Thane resident who alleged that Sharma, while working with the Thane Rural Commissionerate, had accepted a bribe of ₹15 lakh from the firm owner, U Kalshetty, through a person identified as K. The complainant provided an audio clip and a video clip to buttress his allegations. He also alleged that a deep-rooted network of corruption and black-money generation was operational within the jurisdiction of the CGST Thane Rural Division, involving contractors who were awarded municipal tenders in Badlapur, Ambernath, Kalyan, and Ulhasnagar.

In order to ascertain if Sharma and other suspects had committed any criminal act, the CBI initiated a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) after obtaining requisite approval under the Prevention of Corruption Act to examine the CGST officer. The PE probe found that in 2025, Sharma conspired with the two other accused to obtain ₹15 lakh as bribe for diluting a probe against the private firm regarding non-initiation of penal recovery, a CBI official said. The bribe was allegedly handed over to the accused official on August 2, 2025.

“Audio and video clips provided by the complainant confirmed acceptance of undue advantage of ₹15 lakh by the accused officer to provide relief in investigation against the private entity,” the CBI official said.