LUCKNOW: Central probe agency CBI arrested CGST Deputy Commissioner and IRS officer Prabha Bhandari in connection with the Jhansi bribery case worth Rs 70 lakh.
Earlier, the premier probe agency had caught two superintendents of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Jhansi receiving a bribe of Rs 70 lakh from a businessman to settle tax evasion cases against his firm. They were also arrested.
As per the officials, the agency’s Anti-Corruption unit in Lucknow also held businessman Raju Mangtani, the owner of Jhansi-based Jai Durga Hardwares firm.
Even a tax advocate Naresh Kumar Gupta who had allegedly acted as a mediator in the deal was also rounded up.
As per the official sources, the CBI reached Prabha Bhandari, Deputy Commissioner, CGST, Jhansi, on a tip-off given by the two superintendents – Anil Tiwari and Ajay Kumar Sharma. Bhandari had allegedly initiated the bribe demands through them.
During CBI interrogation, both the arrested superintendents had named Bhandari as the mastermind behind the operation, revealing that a total bribe of Rs 1.5 crore had been finalised on her instructions, the probe agency, while laying a trap for Bhandari, made Anil Tiwari call her up in the presence of the officials of the premier probe agency.
The investigation indicated that the Rs 70 lakh represented the first instalment of the total bribe.
Prabha Bhandari answered Tiwari’s call immediately and on being told by Tiwari that Rs 70 lakh had been received from the party, she allegedly expressed happiness while asking him to convert the amount into gold and hand it over to her.
At the time of the call, Prabha Bhandari was in Delhi. Soon after the conversation, a CBI team arrested her in the national capital.
Notably, Prabha Bhandari’s husband is a Colonel in the Indian Army. On Wednesday night, the CBI broke open the lock of their flat and conducted a search operation that lasted around four hours. During the search, gold, cash and property-related documents were recovered.
According to sources, Central GST officers had conducted a raid at Jai Durga Hardware firm about 12 days ago and had allegedly demanded Rs 1.5 crore to settle the case. The CBI had already received intelligence inputs regarding this demand.
After Bhandari’s arrest in Delhi, CBI carried out searches at multiple locations recovering Rs 90 lakh cash, property documents, and gold–silver jewellery. Total cash seized so far by the CBI amounts to Rs 1.60 crore.
However, Prabha Bhandari was produced before a court in Ghaziabad, which granted her remand. The CBI then brought her to Lucknow by flight. The other four accused were produced before a court in Jhansi and were also brought to Lucknow.
Deputy Commissioner Prabha Bhandari was posted in Jhansi only six months ago. Reports suggest that she recently purchased a flat worth Rs 68 lakh. The CBI also found evidence of investments in the stock market, gold and silver bricks, and other assets.
The investigation is going on, and further revelations are expected as the CBI continues to probe the case.