Disproportionate assets: CBI books CGST official, wife from South Mumbai

On Monday, the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of CBI registered a suo-motu first information report (FIR) against Swaminathan, a Wadala resident, and his wife under sections 13 (2) and 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption (amendment) Act, 2018.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a superintendent from the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) office in south Mumbai and his wife in a disproportionate assets (DA) case. Sharadchandra Swaminathan was found to have Rs. 87.52 lakh in addition to his known source of income, said CBI.

Swaminathan and his wife acquired and accumulated assets in the form of immovable properties, cars, bank balances, and other investments worth around Rs. 1.18 crore, against the likely savings of Rs. 30.66 lakh. (PTI)

CBI’s investigation revealed that from April 1, 2003, to January 8, 2018, Swaminathan and his wife acquired and accumulated assets in the form of immovable properties, cars, bank balances, and other investments worth around Rs. 1.18 crore, against the likely savings of Rs. 30.66 lakh.

“The accused were in possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 87.52 lakh, which are in excess of their likely savings,” CBI’s complaint states.

In 2017, Swaminathan had complained to the joint director of CBI about “incessant harassment and demand of Rs. 50 lakh by Mumbai-based CBI officials”. But, in January 2018, CBI arrested him in an alleged bribery case of Rs. 50,000.

On Monday, the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of CBI registered a suo-motu first information report (FIR) against Swaminathan, a Wadala resident, and his wife under sections 13 (2) and 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption (amendment) Act, 2018.

In the complaint, CBI said the agency had received reliable information about Swaminathan acquiring assets disproportionate to his known source of income.

The CBI initiated an inquiry and on the basis of the findings, filed a criminal complaint.

In 2018, CBI had arrested Swaminathan in an alleged bribery case of Rs. 50,000 along with Ashish Thakur, assistant section officer of Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC) and Ravindra Kumar Mandal, an examiner at Air Cargo, Mumbai.

CBI had then said that Thakur demanded Rs. 50,000 from Swaminathan to expedite his promotion in the ministry and Swaminathan allegedly agreed and offered to pay the bribe.

CBI caught Swaminathan and Mandal at Antop Hill, while the former was handing Rs. 25,000, an initial amount, to the latter. However, Swaminathan had later refuted all allegations against him. He made counter allegations against CBI officials and said they allegedly extorted around Rs. 8-9 lakh from him between 2014-2016.

HT tried contacting Swaminathan on Wednesday, but he was unavailable for a comment.