Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Mumbai has arrested Vinay Kumar Kantheti, a 2009 batch IRS officer serving as Additional Commissioner of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Raigad, in a bribery case, agency officials said on Monday.
The CBI's Anti-Corruption Branch, Mumbai, registered a case on August 26 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, on the basis of a complaint alleging demand of illegal gratification by Rakesh Kumar Sinha, Superintendent, CGST, Khandeshwar, Raigad.
The CBI registered a case on the allegations that Sinha had demanded an undue advantage of Rs. 1.50 crore for settling the GST/royalty matter relating to the stone-quarrying firm of the complainant. After negotiation, the demand was subsequently reduced to Rs 40 lakh.
CBI trap in bribery case
The accused public servants had arranged for collection of the bribe amount through a private person and accordingly directed the complainant. The CBI laid a trap and caught the accused private person red-handed while accepting an undue advantage of Rs 40 lakh. The acceptance of the bribe amount was subsequently acknowledged by the accused Sinha as well as Kantheti.
The CBI laid a trap on August 27, during which a private person/Customs House Agent Narinder Rajput was apprehended while allegedly accepting Rs 40 lakh on behalf of Sinha and Kantheti.
Court proceedings and custody
All the three accused were arrested and produced before the Special CBI Court, Thane. The CBI sought five days of police custody for custodial interrogation. However, vide order dated August 28, the Special Court rejected the request for custody, held the arrests illegal and released the accused persons on bail.
The CBI challenged the said order before the Bombay High Court in Criminal Revision Application. Vide order dated September 16, the Bombay High Court allowed the CBI’s revision, quashed and set aside the order of the Special Court and remanded the accused persons to two days of CBI custody. The Court, after examining the record, found that the grounds of arrest had been communicated to the accused in writing and that the relevant family members and advocates had been duly informed, officials said.
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Kantheti taken into custody
"Pursuant to the High Court order, Sinha and Rajput were taken into CBI custody for two days and subsequently sent to 14 days of judicial custody by the Court. However, the accused Additional Commissioner Kantheti was absconding instead of complying with the Hon’ble High Court order. He has now been traced in Rishikesh and taken into custody by CBI," said a CBI official.
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