CBI books IRS officer for demanding 250 gm of gold coins in bribe

New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) The CBI has booked a deputy commissioner of customs for allegedly seeking a bribe in the form of 250 grams of gold coins to de-freeze bank accounts of a businessman's jewellery company, officials said Monday.
     In the FIR, the CBI has named 2014-batch IRS officer Vikas Pal, then posted in Chennai, and his alleged accomplice Mohammed Sabahuddin in the case.
     The CBI took action on a complaint filed by S Shreeganth, the director of Aalaya Jewel Industry Pvt. Ltd, in 2021 which he alleged that Pal, currently posted as Deputy Commissioner, Central GST Noida (Appeals), allegedly demanded gold coins through his representative Sabahuddin, "in lieu of de-freezing of the bank accounts of his company".
     A query e-mailed to Pal seeking his reaction remained unanswered.
     Sabahuddin, who himself was a GST defaulter, allegedly called Shreeganth thrice regarding the fulfilment of said illegal demand of gold coins, according to the FIR.
     The Directorate General of Vigilance (DGoV) Customs referred the matter to the CBI after concluding that there is sufficient corroborative evidence to support the
allegations.
     The DGoV also said Pal took undue financial favour from Sabahuddin, who was an offender of GST by getting flight tickets booked, hotel bookings and cab bookings through him.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)