Mumbai: Two former income tax officers get three years in jail for taking bribes

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A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai has sentenced two former income tax officers to three years rigorous imprisonment for accepting bribes, terming the offence as grave and observing that dishonest intention and abuse of official position to grab money as gratification is alarming.

The duo sought bribes after threatening to conduct search operations at the offices and residences of complainants, according to the prosecution.

The accused, Raj Kumar Bhatia and Suresh Khetan, were found guilty of offences committed under relevant provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) by special judge SP Naik Nimbalkar on Tuesday. A detailed order was made available on Wednesday.

The court, in its order, held, "Undoubtedly, the nature of the offence is grave and serious. The dishonest intention and abuse of official position to grab money as gratification is alarming. It needs to be checked."

As per the prosecution, the complainants are partners in a firm.

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In December 2008, Bhatia, then an assistant commissioner of income tax posted in Mumbai, through his colleague Khetan, called one of the complainants to his office, it said.

The accused asked him to produce tax papers of their firm and the latter complied. Later, Bhatia demanded Rs 2 lakh from the duo and threatened to conduct search operations at their offices and residences if the money was not paid, the prosecution said.

Further, the CBI claimed one of the complainants paid the bribe money to Khetan.

Bhatia made another demand of Rs 35 lakh by threatening to reopen the company's income tax file and ruin the duo's business.

This time, instead of giving the bribe, the partners lodged a complaint with the CBI's Anti- Corruption Bureau in Mumbai.

The probe agency laid a trap and caught the accused while accepting a reduced bribe amount of Rs 2 lakh.

After the perusal of documents and evidence on record, the court held the prosecution was successful in proving beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons had committed the crime.

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