CBI court declares sacked Income Tax Commissioner Sanjay Srivastava absconder

A CBI court on Friday declared sacked Income Tax Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Srivastava absconder in a case filed by the investigative agency.

Last month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a case against the sacked officer, alleging cheating, forgery and passing backdated appeal orders to obtain undue benefits as Commissioner of IT (Appeals) in Noida.

Special Judge (anti-corruption) CBI Gazhiabad has declared Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, compulsorily retired by the government under 56J of Fundamental Rules, proclaimed offender.

The order directed the offender to be present in the court on September 9, 2019.

The case was registered by the CBI under section 120 B, 420, 468 of Indian Penal Code and 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act.

The investigative agency had carried out searches at his residence and office.

The CBI had claimed to have recovered from Srivastava's residence jewellery worth Rs 2.47 crore, Rs 16.44 lakh in cash, watches approximately valued at Rs 10 lakh, over Rs 1.30 crore of bank deposits in the name of the former officer as well as his family members, incriminating documents related to two immovable assets and a bank locker.

It was alleged that Srivastava as Commissioner, Income Tax (Appeals), Noida passed 104 backdated orders in June, 2019 - in the month he was given forced retirement by the government.

Srivastava was given compulsory retirement on June 10, 2019, but these orders were uploaded on the Income Tax Business Application (ITBA) between June 11 and June 13 by alleged misuse of RSA token, a kind of access system in the department.

Searches were carried out at 13 locations, including a boutique in Vasant Kunj allegedly run by Srivastava's wife, residence of Amar Das whose services were used by the officer to write orders, two Chartered Accountants Anil Prahlad Kumar and K P Garg in Ghaziabad and Nehru Place, Delhi, respectively.