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CBI arrests senior I-T official, husband for Rs 1.5 cr bribe
The anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested an IT official and her husband for taking a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from a Thane builder on Friday.
The anti-corruption branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested an IT official and her husband for taking a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from a Thane builder on Friday.
The CBI arrested the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Sumitra Banerjee (41) and her husband Subrato (45) in Thane.
The CBI also registered a case against her subordinate, Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Anjali Bambole (42). However, she has not been arrested as yet. The CBI is likely to take action against her on Sunday.
Rishi Raj Singh, Joint Director, CBI, West Zone said that Banerjee and Bambole had conducted a survey on the Thane builder on March 24 for tax evasion.
During the survey, Banerjee told the builder that she would show a tax liability of Rs 25 crore on his firm. She also threatened to convert the survey into a raid so that his bank accounts and other records could be seized.
Singh said that Banerjee demanded a bribe of Rs 4 crore from the builder which she later reduced to Rs 2 crore.
Banerjee also said that if he paid the bribe, his tax liability would reduce to Rs 1.05 crore.
He was forcibly made to pay the amount of Rs 1.05 crore by three cheques of Rs 35 lakh each, on the survey day itself along with Rs 10 lakh as the first installment of bribe to Banerjee in her office. “He paid the second installment of Rs 10 lakh on March 29 to Bambole in her cabin,” Singh said.
Banerjee asked the builder to give the remaining bribe amount of Rs 1.8 crore in three installments.
The builder negotiated and managed to bring down the remaining amount to Rs 1.5 crore, to be paid in one installment.
The bribe was given on Friday at Mulund. Banerjee told the builder that someone (Banerjee’s husband) would meet him to collect the money. He was caught the moment he accepted the amount kept in a bag. Subsequently, Banerjee was also arrested.
“The two were produced before the Special CBI court and remanded to custody till April 27,” said Abhin Modak, Superintendent of Police, ACB, CBI.
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