Lokayukta police trap GST official with Rs 8 lakh bribe

In photo: Accused GST officer taking the bride

BENGALURU: Lokayukta police Thursday trapped a Central GST official while accepting a bribe of Rs 8 lakh through a middleman.GST superintendent Mohit Pratap Singh (south division-4, A-range, south commissionerate), had demanded Rs 20 lakh from a businessman dealing with iron materials to close a case registered against him, according to Lokayukta police.

Besides Singh, police also arrested his agent Salman Sheik.“The city-based businessman was booked for evading tax. However, the complaint was false and Singh knew it. When the businessman approached Singh seeking a solution, Singh promised to close the case once for all and demanded a Rs 20-lakh bribe. Finally, Singh agreed to take Rs 8 lakh and directed the businessman to hand over the money to his agent Salman Sheik,” Lokayukta police said.“The businessman approached us and registered a case against Singh and Sheik under the Prevention of Corruption Act. We laid the trap and directed the businessman to hand over the cash to Sheik, who was waiting near Singh’s chamber in Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala. The raids were carried out when Singh received the cash from Sheik,” the anti-corruption police said.Singh and Sheik were sent to judicial custody in Bengaluru central prison.