Mumbai Income Tax commissioner held for accepting bribe

The CBI today arrested Income Tax Commissioner Daya Shankar in Mumbai for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs2 lakh from a private company for passing a favourable order in an appeal matter.

"Daya Shankar, Commissioner IT (Appeals), was arrested this morning from his office in Bandra for demanding and accepting bribe for settling and issuing a favourable order in an appeal matter pending before him," CBI Joint Director (Western Region) Rishiraj Singh told reporters.

A firm engaged in copper wire manufacture had filed its return for assessment year 2008-09 which was taken up for scrutiny by the jurisdictional IT officer. After scrutiny, the IT officer had passed an order for additional tax liabilities. Aggrieved by this, the company approached Shankar with an appeal challenging the order.

"Shankar demanded bribe from the company for issuing a favourable assessment order. He also told them that if they do no pay the money then he would confirm the order passed earlier," Singh said.

CBI's Anti-Corruption Wing laid a trap after the company lodged a complaint following which Shankar was caught while accepting the bribe.

"Searches are being conducted at the officer's residences in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Lucknow and Mumbai. So far we have recovered Rs8 lakh in cash from his residence here. We are investigating if the accused had taken money earlier too for passing favourable orders," the joint director said.

The accused would be produced before a special CBI court for remand tomorrow.