Demonetisation might have made it difficult for people to arrange bribes in new currency but some babus are finding unique ways around the problem such as allowing bribes in installments.
One such attempt of an Income Tax officer in Visakhapatnam to allegedly get illegal gratification in instalments landed him in the custody of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), sources from the agency said.
B Srinivasa Rao, Income Tax Officer, Visakhapatnam had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 1.5 lakh from a person who had given his plot for redevelopment to a builder.
The person expressed his inability to produce so much cash because of the curbs imposed on the withdrawal of currency post the demonetisation of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes on 8 November, the sources said.
Rao asked the person to give the bribe in instalments, they said. When the first instalment of Rs 30,000 was being exchanged, CBI caught the ITO, they said.
It was alleged that the complainant who gave his plot for development to a builder was yet to receive his share of 12 flats. The accused demanded a bribe of Rs 1,50,000 for dropping further proceedings with reference to the notice issued to the complainant in respect of sale of immovable property which require payment of capital gains.Devpreet Singh, CBI Spokesperson
She said during the searches conducted at the office and residential premises of accused at Visakhapatnam, several incriminating documents and approximately Rs 2.03 lakh in cash were recovered.
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