A Superintendent of Central GST was caught on camera allegedly accepting ₹8 lakh bribe, through a mediator, during a trap operation conducted by the Bengaluru City Lokayukta.
Lokayukta sleuths caught the officer while allegedly accepting the bribe at Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala, Bengaluru, according to a PTI report.
Singh had allegedly demanded the money to “close a false complaint” filed against the complainant, Syed Zameer, in connection with pending Central GST dues.
The accused in the bribery case was identified as Mohit Pratap Singh. He is the Superintendent, Central GST, South Division-4, South Commissionerate.
According to the Lokayukta, Singh allegedly demanded the bribe from a businessman in connection with pending Central GST dues and to close what was claimed to be a false complaint against him, NDTV reported.
The Lokayukta claimed that the complainant, Syed Zameer, alleged that Singh had demanded ₹8 lakh to “close a false complaint.”
After receiving the complaint, Bengaluru City Lokayukta officials laid a trap and allegedly caught Singh while accepting the money through a mediator.
According to NDTV, the Lokayukta said a private individual, Salman Sheikh, allegedly acted as a mediator in the transaction and has also been named as an accused in the case.
No. Legally, a GST officer cannot demand a bribe; doing so is a severe criminal offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Demanding or accepting a bribe is a punishable crime.
Officers caught face suspension, arrest, and prosecution.
Do Not Pay: Paying invites recurring extortion rather than a permanent fix.
Take action: Lodge an FIR with police. Report central employees to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), and state employees to your state’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or Lokayukta. In immediate extortion cases, call the emergency number 112. If no action is taken, one can approach court.
Document everything: Preserve evidence (audio, witnesses, documents); keep copies of notices, recordings, text messages, or call logs.
Taxpayers can report GST corruption, extortion, or illegal tax collection in India through official government channels.
Complaints can be lodged online via the GST Self-Service Portal, reported via the toll-free helpdesk at 1800-103-4786, or escalated directly to anti-corruption branches and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
One can raise a complaint through our grievance redressal portal using this link: https://selfservice.gstsystem.in/ReportIssue.aspx.
Bribery is punishable under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 173, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
A person convicted of bribery can face imprisonment for a term which may extend up to one year. In addition to or instead of imprisonment, the offender may be subjected to a fine. Both imprisonment and fine can be imposed together or separately, based on the severity of the offence and other circumstances.
As per the law, bribery by treating is punishable only by a fine. “Treating” means that form of bribery where the gratification consists in food, drink, entertainment, or provision.
According to a website Law Rato, BNS-173 encompasses all forms of bribery, including both the act of giving and receiving bribes, as well as indirect methods like ‘treating’.
