The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two senior Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) officials and a private individual in Maharashtra’s Raigad district in connection with an alleged Rs 40-lakh bribery case involving a stone-quarrying company. Those arrested have been identified as Additional Commissioner Vinay Kumar Kantheti, a 2009-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, CGST Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha and private individual Narinder Rajput. The case was registered on August 26 after a complaint alleging that money had been demanded to resolve GST and royalty-related issues concerning the complainant’s stone-quarrying business.
Demand allegedly began at Rs 1.5 crore
According to the CBI, Sinha initially sought Rs 1.5 crore from the complainant in return for settling the tax-related matter. The alleged demand was subsequently brought down to Rs 40 lakh following negotiations. Investigators claimed that the two officials did not intend to receive the money directly and instead arranged for Rajput to collect it on their behalf. The complainant was allegedly instructed to hand over the agreed amount to him.
CBI sets trap
After receiving the complaint, the agency mounted a trap operation to verify the allegations and intercept the payment. Rajput was apprehended while allegedly receiving Rs 40 lakh from the complainant. The CBI said its subsequent investigation linked the payment to both the Superintendent and the Additional Commissioner. All three were taken into custody and are being produced before the competent court.
Cash, jewellery recovered in searches
The agency also conducted searches at premises associated with the accused following the arrests. Officials recovered an additional Rs 43 lakh in cash during the searches. Jewellery and other valuables estimated to be worth about Rs 90 lakh were also seized, according to the agency. The recoveries are now being examined as part of the investigation, including their ownership and source. The CBI is continuing its probe to determine whether others were involved in the alleged arrangement and to trace the circumstances surrounding the demand and collection of the money.