New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) The Income Tax Department hassuspended a deputy commissioner for harassing a taxpayer andallegedly demanding "illegal gratification", the financeministry said today.
"The Department has zero tolerance to such malpracticesand corruption. Pending investigation, the officer has sincebeen placed under suspension... The matter is underinvestigation," the ministry said in a statement.
A complaint was received making serious allegationsagainst D K Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, postedat Surendranagar in Gujarat Region for harassing a taxpayer ina scrutiny case with mala fide intention, it said.
"The officer was alleged to have demanded illegalgratification through the taxpayer's Chartered Accountant forfavourably completing the assessment," it said, adding thatthe audio recordings of conversations were also receivedmentioning the bribe amount being demanded by the officers ofthe Department for settling the case.
In order to verify the veracity of the allegations, itsaid, the case records were requisitioned immediately by theVigilance Directorate of CBDT.
On examination of the case records, serious lapses andirregularities were found which lend credence to theallegations made against the officer, it said. PTI DPSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.