The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested two officials from the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) department — Superintendent Pankaj Kumar and Consultant Prasad Kumar Swami — in connection with a ₹1 crore bribe acceptance case. The arrests were made in Navi Panvel, located in Maharashtra's Raigad district.
According to CBI sources, the case revolves around an allegation that Superintendent Pankaj Kumar had demanded a total bribe of ₹1 crore from a complainant. Of this amount, Pankaj Kumar was alleged to have directed the complainant to hand over ₹10 lakh to consultant Prasad Kumar Swami. The money was being sought presumably in exchange for some benefit related to CGST proceedings, though the exact nature of the favor has not been disclosed publicly.
The CBI conducted a coordinated operation on Thursday, catching both officials red-handed while they were allegedly in possession of the bribe amount. Following their arrest, the case was formally registered and a search of relevant premises was reportedly carried out as part of the ongoing probe.
Information about the arrest was made public on Friday, drawing attention to the growing scrutiny of tax authorities across the country. The CGST, which took over indirect tax administration after the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax in 2017, handles assessments, refunds, and compliance matters that can significantly impact businesses and individuals.
Both accused have been produced before the concerned court, and CBI investigations are continuing to unearth further details about the case, including whether additional individuals were involved in the alleged scheme.
