Ghaziabad police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against five officials of the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI). The officials are accused of demanding a Rs. 5 crore bribe from a Ghaziabad-based businessman, leading to an investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Background:
The accused officials, stationed at the DGGI Gurugram office, face allegations related to a raid conducted on July 5, 2022, at the office of SKS Electricals in Ghaziabad. The company’s director, Prem Singh, was reportedly arrested during the raid without a warrant, prompting the director, Arun Kumar Som, to file a complaint against the officials.
Complainant’s Allegations:
Arun Kumar Som, the director of SKS Electricals, claimed that the officials demanded a bribe of Rs. 5 crore to resolve the alleged GST rule violations. He asserted that the officials threatened imprisonment in case of non-payment. Under duress, Som paid Rs. 2.35 crore over a month. Despite this, the officials continued to demand more money, stating that it would be distributed among higher-ranking officers.
Legal Pursuit:
Som approached the police, submitted a complaint, and filed an application at the Police Commissionerate office. With no action taken, he invoked CrPC 156 (3) and sought court intervention for the registration of an FIR against the GST officials. Subsequently, the Ghaziabad police registered an FIR under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, following a court order.
Details of the Allegations:
During the raid, the officials seized the company’s computers and arrested director Prem Singh. Allegedly, attempts to negotiate a resolution resulted in the dismissal of company documents. Som claimed that he arranged Rs. 50 lakh initially but was coerced into paying more, eventually totaling Rs. 2.35 crore.
Ongoing Threats and Demands:
The complainant disclosed that, even after these payments, the officials continued their demands. In January 2023, a new investigating officer allegedly demanded an additional Rs. 50 lakh. Despite Som providing Rs. 10 lakh, the threats persisted. Frustrated by the lack of police action, he filed a complaint detailing the ongoing extortion.
This FIR sheds light on a concerning case of alleged corruption within the DGGI, and investigations are underway to ascertain the truth of the accusations.
