CGST official arrested by Kerala Vigilance for accepting bribe of Rs 1 lakh

In a first of its kind incident, a Union government official attached to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Wing was, on Monday, June 12, was taken into custody by the Kerala Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau at Kalpetta in Wayanad while accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a government contractor. The official has been identified as Central GST (CGST) Superintendent Parvinder Singh.

According to the VACB officials, Pravinder Singh, the GST official, after assessing the account of a government contractor for financial year 2018-19, found a discrepancy in the returns he had filed. According to reports, the contractor had already paid Rs 9 lakh as tax, but received a notice from the GST department asking him to pay Rs10 lakh. When he pointed out that he had already paid the sum, Parvinder Singh allegedly demanded a sum of Rs 3 lakh. The contractor filed a complaint with the VACB, who devised a plan and caught Parvinder Singh red-handed. "Singh was taken into custody when the money was being handed over in his vehicle," a VACB official said.

On May 24, a village field assistant in Palakkayam village of Palakkad was arrested for taking bribes and bribes he collected to the tune of Rs 1 crore was recovered from him by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) officers. DVAC seized Rs 35 lakh in cash, Rs 45 lakh in fixed deposits and bonds, and Rs 25 lakhs in savings bank account, along with other properties, including 10 brand new shirts, sacks of tamarind, 10 liters of honey, bundles of pens, and other items.

(With IANS inputs)