Two arrested for offering Rs 22 lakh bribe to GST Intelligence officer

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) Two persons were arrested by the CBI for allegedly offering a Rs 22 lakh bribe to a Superintendent in GST Intelligence to escape a tax evasion probe, officials said.

Ram Sevak Singh and Sachin Kumar Gupta were nabbed here in a 'reverse trap' operation initiated on a complaint from the Superintendent posted in GST Intelligence in Kolkata, they said.

The officer, who was conducting an inquiry into alleged tax evasion by several online companies, was approached to favour the firms in exchange for a bribe.

The two individuals had offered Rs 22 lakh bribe to the officer who promptly alerted the CBI and lodged an official complaint, the officials said.

In a "meticulously orchestrated counter-sting known as reverse trap" where the bribe giver is the target, the CBI laid the groundwork with precision, tracking the suspects and arresting them with the bribe money, they said.

"Following the arrests, the CBI has initiated extensive searches at various locations connected to the accused. These searches are expected to unearth further evidence related to both, the bribery attempt and the underlying tax evasion scheme," the CBI Spokesperson said in a statement.

She said the successful operation highlights the crucial role of honest public servants in combating corruption. PTI ABS RT RT