HC allows arrested I-T officer to travel abroad for daughter's convocation

The Bombay High Court has allowed a senior income tax (IT) official, who was arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs1.50 crore from a builder to reduce his tax liability, to travel to Abu Dhabi to attend her daughter's convocation ceremony. The court while setting aside the special court order disallowing Sumitra Banerjee to travel noted that previously on six occasions she was given permission to travel abroad and she had abided by the conditions laid down for her.

Additional commissioner (IT) Sumitra Banerjee and her husband Subratho were arrested a few years ago from Mulund and Rs 1.50 crore was recovered from them. CBI's Anti-Corruption Wing, claimed that Banerjee had informed a builder that tax liability of his firm will be Rs 25 crore. She said that it could be brought down to Rs 2 crore if he agreed to pay a bribe of Rs 4 crore. After negotiations, Banerjee settled for a Rs 2 crore bribe and brought down the tax liability to Rs 1.05 crore. On complaining, a trap was laid and a person who came to collect the money was nabbed.