Surat: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths nabbed a Goods and Service Tax (GST) officer and a chartered accountant (CA) while accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 in cash from a sweetshop owner here on Saturday. The accused had demanded bribe to show leniency to the businessman, who was facing action for tax evasion.
Police arrested a
GST officer in mobile squad Kanchan Pitambar Sagar and CA Abhishek Nitin Vakhariya after the bribe money was paid. The bribe money was recovered from the office of the CA, who had informed the GST officer about receiving the money from the complainant.
ACB sleuths laid a trap after the sweetshop owner from Ghod Dod Road lodged a complaint. The businessman alleged that Sagar came to carry out a search in his shop on March 10. Vakhariya started negotiations with Sagar and a package of Rs 1.10 lakh was finalized to ensure that the sweetshop was not sealed for tax evasion. Of the total package, Rs 30,000 was to be paid as tax and Rs 80,000 as bribe.
The complainant convinced Sagar to agree to accept Rs 40,000 through Vakhariya. Meanwhile, the businessman approached ACB and lodged a compliant, who laid the trap and nabbed the accused.
