ADILABAD: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Monday caught two state tax officers red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 50,000 bribe at their office in Nirmal district.
The accused were identified as Koppela Godavari, State Tax Officer, Nirmal Circle, Adilabad division, and Manthri Sai Krishna, Senior Assistant to the Assistant Commissioner (State Tax), Nirmal Circle.
According to ACB Deputy Superintendent of Police G Madhu, complainant Lakkimsetty Veera Bhaskar Rao, a businessman from Mancherial, approached the ACB alleging that Godavari had demanded Rs 1 lakh for an official favour relating to the audit of records of Laxmi Prasanna Jewellers for 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Following repeated requests, the demand was reduced to Rs 90,000, then Rs 80,000 and finally Rs 50,000. The alleged favour involved issuing a favourable audit report that would enable the business to show a lower taxable turnover and GST liability, causing a corresponding loss to the government.
During the trap, Godavari allegedly received the Rs 50,000 from the complainant and handed it over to Sai Krishna. The tainted money was recovered. Chemical tests on the hands of both accused officers returned positive results, ACB officials said. The two officers were arrested and would be produced before the Special Judge for SPE & ACB cases. The investigation is under way.