I-T official under scanner for alleged bribe taking

A senior Income Tax department official in Chhattisgarh was trapped red handed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while accepting a bribe from a construction firm for a shady deal.

The Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, P W Athawle allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 15 lakh from the Khaitan Construction Company to do an undue favour in the case. The construction company lodged a complaint with the CBI.

The Income Tax official had asked the construction firm to deliver the money at his residence on Thursday afternoon.

Acting on the complaint, the sleuths of CBI laid a trap and caught the official red handed while accepting the bribe from the construction firm.

 

“The cash of Rs 15 lakh was recovered from Athawle,” S R Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police (CBI) said. An offence under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act would be registered against the official, he said, adding that arrest would be made after completing the investigation.

The Income Tax official was staying in a rented house in Sales Tax colony of Khamardih locality in the state capital.

Later, another team of CBI struck at the main office of Income Tax in the evening and scanned documents and other papers in the chamber of Athawle.

As the CBI team reached the office, chaos was created in the premises as the news spread about the investigating agency carrying out a major raid in the Income Tax office.

The CBI officials had sealed the chamber of Athawle and were investigating the matter.

The preliminary investigation suggested that the official had amassed illegal properties in the cities of Pune and Nagpur.