Woman officer gets 4 years' rigorous imprisonment for Rs 75,000 bribe to reduce tax

MUMBAI: Observing that the dishonest intention and abuse of official position to grab money as gratification is alarming, a special CBI court on Wednesday convicted and sentenced 53-year-old woman income tax officer to four years rigorous imprisonment caught red handed accepting a bribe of Rs 75,000 from a Malad businessman for reducing tax liability of his manufacturing firm in 2015.
Special judge MR Purwar said, "The corruption by public servant has become a gigantic problem. It has deep and pervasive impact on the functioning of the entire country." The judge also fined the accused, Preetha Babukuttan, Rs 30,000. Babukuttan had initially demanded Rs 1.30 lakh.
Special public prosecutor PKB Gaikwad examined 15 witnesses.
The judge refuted the defence that when the bribe was offered to her by the businessman, she went to lodge a complaint against him to her superior and at that point he took advantage of her absence and kept the amount in her table drawer. In a 126-page judgment copy, the judge pointed out that Vilas Mhadgut, the trap-laying officer, had testified about the conduct of the accused. It was to the effect that on the day of the trap when caught, the accused became speechless and nervous. "Even it is not the case of the accused that on March 30, 2015, the day of trap, she offered explanation about either thrusting of the money or keeping of the money in the drawer of her table by taking advantage of her absence in the cabin by the complainant," the judge said.
The judge also said that the accused had not even adduced the evidence of her superior officer. "Even no such suggestion put forth to prosecution witness Anil Saini, who is a colleague of the accused. In fact, nothing is brought on record to show that the accused lodged a complaint with her superior against the complainant. No such specific case suggested to panch witness Dilip Lawate...who was present there. Thus, I find no substance in submission of advocate for the accused," the judge said.
Relying on evidence, the judge said the prosecution was successful in proving beyond reasonable doubt. The judge said it was proved that accused told the complainant his tax liability was Rs 4 to 5 lakh and she would try to reduce it to Rs 55,000 for the bribe. "...on March 27, reduced it and demanded... Rs 75,000 and on March 30 accepted bribe amount of Rs 75,000 for the said favour...," the judge said.