I-T officer held over bribery

The CBI on Sunday arrested a Haryana Income-Tax deputy commissioner and his aide for allegedly accep-ting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh from a private firm proprietor for giving relief while levying penalty.

The arrested official has been identified as Nitin Garg, deputy commissioner (I-T), Sirsa (Haryana). The agency said that the proprietor of the private firm based in Sirsa had received an I-T notice, seeking certain information under Income Tax Act for the assessment year 2013-14.

“It was alleged that the complainant was threatened that in case the bribe was not paid, heavy penalty will be imposed on him. The deputy commissioner instructed his aide to accept the money,” CBI spokesperson R.K. Gaur said here. He said that Garg allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for not imposing heavy penalty. The agency laid a trap and Garg and his aide, a resident of Bhatinda in Punjab, were arrested while allegedly accepting the bribe, he said.

“Searches were conducted at the residential and official premises of the accused which led to recovery of cash Rs 15.60 lakh, gold weighing 1,620 grams, diamonds worth around '60 lakh, silver amounting to Rs 5 lakh, 26 bank accounts in his name and that of his family members. Both the accused will be produced today in a competent court,” he said.