Rs. 22 Lakh Bribe Demand from Gold Bullion Trader: CBI Books Two GST Officials

Identified as Satish Sharma and Ankur Godyan, the accused individuals are allegedly reported to have demanded a sum of Rs 22 lakh from a bullion trader to settle a dispute.

According to CBI sources, the incident unfolded at the Air India building in Nariman Point, where the accused officials serve in their capacities as superintendents of central GST. While the demand for a bribe was confirmed, it has been clarified that the accused did not accept any bribe money.

The case came to light following a handwritten complaint received by the CBI, alleging that the superintendents had demanded Rs 22 lakh in bribe from the bullion trader. The complainant, based in the Zaveri Bazar area of south Mumbai, stated that the dispute arose after receiving a summons from GST, leading to subsequent demands for bribe money by the officials involved.

The sequence of events unfolded with the complainant submitting all relevant documents after visiting the anti-evasion office in South Mumbai. Subsequently, Ankur Godyan issued another summon, this time directed at the complainant’s son. Following discussions with Godyan and Akhilesh at the GST office, the complainant claimed that they demanded the bribe amount to resolve the matter.

Further aggravating the situation, the accused officials conducted a search at the trader’s office on March 15 without providing necessary documentation. This action resulted in the detainment of the complainant at the GST office, where officials reportedly threatened him with a hefty tax liability of Rs 3 crore unless the bribe was paid.

After the ordeal, the complainant approached the CBI, which discreetly verified the allegations before registering a corruption case against the two superintendents and another GST official involved in the incident. The accused officials allowed the complainant to leave after pressuring him to make the bribe payment within 24 hours.