Nashik: A major bribery case has come to light at the GST office, where officials allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹1.25 crore from a trader after irregularities were found in his tax filing process. In this connection, two senior officers from the Nashik GST office were caught by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while accepting part of the settlement amount. The incident has created a stir in both official and business circles.
According to available information, a trader from Nashik was issued a notice by the GST department after irregularities were detected in his tax payment process. Fearing strict action, the trader reportedly proposed a settlement to the officials. Through a private middleman, the officials allegedly demanded ₹1.25 crore from the trader.
However, the trader negotiated with the middleman, stating that the amount was too high, and eventually managed to bring it down to ₹20 lakh. Meanwhile, the trader lodged a complaint with the Mumbai-based Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
After verifying the complaint, the ACB laid a trap at the GST office on Friday afternoon and caught the two officials red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹2 lakh.
Sources revealed that the arrested officers hold the ranks of Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner. The incident has created widespread shock in both the GST department and the business community.
