Rs 83.26 lakh recovered from the hideouts of bribe officials
Bhopal. Central Goods and Services Tax Department (GST) Superintendent Kapil Kamble and his team were caught red-handed by the CBI in Jabalpur late Tuesday evening while accepting a bribe of seven lakh rupees. Four other officers of the CBI were presented for remand in the CBI court on Wednesday evening. The court has handed over the five accused to the CBI on six days remand till June 20.
CGST Superintendent Kamble and his fellow Superintendents Soumen Goswami, Inspectors Vikas Gupta, Pradeep Hazari and Virender Jain were caught red handed by the Jabalpur team of CBI on Tuesday evening while accepting a bribe of Rs. On May 18, these officers raided and seized a pan masala factory in Nohta, Damoh. The factory belongs to Trilokchand Sen, a resident of Dausa, Rajasthan. One crore rupees were demanded in lieu of releasing it. As the last installment of this bribe, when these people were taking seven lakh rupees in the CGST office, then the CBI raided them and nabbed them. After this, the CBI raided the houses of these officers, from where about Rs 83 lakh was also recovered.
Investigation revealed that GST officers used to negotiate bribes through WhatsApp calls. Money was also demanded from the complainant through WhatsApp call only. The complainant had given the recording of the WhatsApp call to the CBI as evidence. After which the CBI also recorded the conversation at its level and planned the raid.
The CBI on Wednesday produced Superintendent Kapil Kamble, Superintendent Soumen Goswami, Inspector Vikas Gupta, Pradeep Hazari, Virendra Jain in the CBI court in the case, where they have been handed over six days remand for questioning on CBI’s application. Now the accused will be produced in the court on June 20.
this is the case
The case pertains to Nohta-based Gopan Tobacco Products Private Limited. Company managers Bhagirath Rai and Giriraj Vijay had complained to CBI Jabalpur SP Richpal Singh that they had spoken to Kamble on June 3 to seek permission to reopen the factory. Then he had demanded a bribe of one crore rupees for issuing the release order of the factory premises. Later the deal was fixed for 35 lakhs. He had taken blankets of Rs 25 lakh and sought some time to pay the remaining amount. On the night of June 10, Kamble made a WhatsApp call to Giriraj asking him to pay the outstanding amount of Rs 10 lakh immediately. Had warned to auction the machinery if the amount was not paid. On the request of Bhagirath and Giriraj, they were asked to pay a concession tax of seven lakhs.
CBI’s action at Jabalpur CGST office lasted from Tuesday evening till 3 am on Wednesday. In a 10-hour investigation, the team found that Kamble was a superintendent but his status in the entire office was no less than that of a deputy commissioner. CBI recovered Rs 3 lakh from Kamble’s Ranjhi house, Rs 41 lakh from Inspector Pradeep Hazari’s house, Rs 16.88 lakh from his office cabin. Rs 18.29 lakh has been recovered from Inspector Vikas Gupta’s house, Rs 1.50 lakh from his office cabin. 2.60 lakh rupees have been found from the office cabin of Inspector Virendra Jain. Soumen Goswami lives in Civil Lines, Pradeep Hazari Adhartal, Vikas Gupta Gadha and Virendra Jain live in Wright Town.
Trilokchand Sen said that he was constantly being harassed by the CGST officials. There were so many calls for money that he and his entire family were getting depressed. The situation became such that many times even thought of committing suicide. Somehow he handled himself and gave 25 lakh rupees as bribe by taking loan from the market. Even after this, Kamble continued to harass. These people were so clever that every time they used to call WhatsApp and ask for bribe money.
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