CBI Recovers Huge Sum, Gold From Residence Of Jharkand’s IT Official:- During the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raids at the Kolkata residence of Jharkhand’s Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Tapas Kumar Dutta, about Rs3.5 crore cash and 5kg gold has been recovered during searches.

It is alleged that Dutta have favored high net worth income tax assesses by taking huge bribes from them. Spokesperson R K Gaur said in New Delhi, on Wednesday, that the CBI has searched 23 locations in Kolkata and Ranchi including the residential premises of Tapas Kumar Dutta and others. After filing an FIR under corruption charges against Dutta and others, the searches were conducted in 18 locations in Kolkata and five in Ranchi, said Mr. Gaur.

The agency recovered Rs 3.5 crore cash and over 5kg of gold (about Rs1.4 crore according to current bullion rate) from the residence of Dutta during the searches. He even added that several incriminating documents were also seized.

It is alleged that during 2016-17, Dutta entered into criminal conspiracy with three other officials of the Income Tax department and Kolkata-based businessmen and entry operators, he said. The text messages sent to Dutta seeking his reaction remained unanswered.

“In pursuance of the conspiracy, Dutta allegedly took huge illegal gratification from the businessmen through a chartered accountant to get the income tax assessment files of different assesses transferred from Kolkata/Hazaribagh to Ranchi,” Gaur said. To provide undue favors to these tax assesses who were charged with heavy tax liabilities in return for illegal gratification, it was allegedly done, he said.

The spokesperson said, orders have already been issued by Dutta abusing his official position. Recently, the CBI have registered a case against Dutta, Arvind Kumar, Additional Commissioner Income Tax, Income Tax Officer (Tech) Ranjit Kumar Lal, one more Income Tax officer, and chartered accountant Pawan Maurya.

In the FIR filed under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, Bishwanath Agarwal, Kolkata-based businessman and director of Anchal Vyapar, private persons Santosh Chaudhary, Santosh Shah, Akash Agarwal, Arvind Agarwal have also been booked.

SUPRAJA