I-T official’s bank Accounts, lockers to be re-opened

Six months after the high court quashed a first information report against a senior income tax official in a bribery case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agreed to de-freeze the bank accounts and lockers of the official and his relatives.

Six months after the high court quashed a first information report against a senior income tax official in a bribery case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) agreed to de-freeze the bank accounts and lockers of the official and his relatives.

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CBI officials had arrested Shyamsundar Keshkamat, additional income tax (I-T) commissioner, in February last year, after I-T officer TV Mohan, who was caught while accepting a bribe of Rs 4.5 lakh, claimed that he had taken the money for his senior.

“Under what provisions of law, have you continued to withhold the properties, bank accounts and the lockers even after the FIR is quashed,” the division bench of Justice AM

Khanvilkar and Justice AR Joshi asked CBI counsel AS Gadkari on Friday.

Gadkari conceded that there was no legal provision that empowered the central agency to continue to withhold the properties and freeze the bank accounts and lockers. He also clarified that it was done as the agency was conducting a discreet inquiry on disproportionate assets, and it was on the verge of completion.

Gadkari said the CBI would de-freeze the bank accounts and lockers of Keshkamat and his relatives and release his properties if he agrees not to create any third-party rights into the immovable properties for four months.

Keshkamat agreed to the condition.