CBI Arrests Mumbai IT Commissioner, Five Others In Alleged Bribery Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested an income tax commissioner and five others in an alleged bribery case.

BB Rajendra Prasad, Mumbai Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) and a real estate agent were arrested in Vishakapatnam and produced before a designated CBI court in that city, the investigative agency said in a media statement. Four others, including two employees of the Balaji Trust – Pradeep Mittal and his secretary Bipin Vajpayee – and the chartered accountant auditing the Trust's accounts were also arrested and presented before a Mumbai court. The CBI has been given a transit remand till May 6 for these four individuals to be taken to Visakhapatnam.

Balaji Trust is managed by the Essar Group, confirmed a company spokesperson.

The CBI alleged that Prasad had received Rs 19.34 lakh as a part of a bribe he had demanded from Balaji Trust to pass a favourable order, it said in its media statement. According to the investigative agency, Prasad had allegedly demanded a Rs 2-crore bribe from the Trust, which had to be transferred to a relative of the real estate consultant based in Visakhapatnam. Rajendra would then take the money from the consultant, the statement added.

The CBI has also recovered around Rs 1.5 crore during searches conducted in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. Several incriminating documents, property documents, details of bank accounts and three lockers were also found, added the statement.

The CBI is conducting further investigation in the matter.

In an emailed response, a Balaji Trust spokesperson said there was “a routine survey” of records by the CBI at the offices of two of its executives in connection with some income tax assessment orders.

“Legal submissions were made to the relevant authorities on merits through a reputed accounting firm based on which the orders were passed in a routine manner. We categorically deny all allegations regarding any misconduct by our executives. Our executives are innocent and the company stands by them. We are confident that upon investigations, the CBI will come to the same conclusion,” the statement said.