CBI seizes

MUMBAI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has tracked down a hawala operator and seized from him ₹30 lakh in cash, which was part of the ₹50 lakh paid by a Malad-based businessman to some Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) officers last week to escape arrest in a case of tax evasion.
The hawala operator is an alleged aide of arrested accused Raj Aggarwal, a chartered accountant, said agency sources. The CBI has recorded the operator’s statement to strengthen the probe, the sources added.
The case was registered based on a complaint by the businessman, who owns a pharmaceutical trading firm. In his complaint, the businessman alleged that when he visited the CGST office in Santacruz on September 4, he was kept confined for 18 hours and subjected to repeated use of force and verbal abuse by four CGST officials of superintendent rank who demanded a bribe of ₹80 lakh for not arresting him and favouring him in an ongoing tax evasion probe. The bribe amount was later reduced to ₹60 lakh.
“The finalised bribe of ₹60 lakh was to be delivered to the CGST officers through the accused CA,” said a CBI officer.
Out of this negotiated amount, ₹30 lakh was paid to a hawala operator while the businessman was allegedly still under confinement. The operator then gave the money to a second hawala operator, from whom the CBI recovered the amount on Monday.
“The second hawala operator was supposed to handover the bribe to the CA, who would further transfer it to the accused CGST officials,” the CBI officer quoted earlier said.
Agarwal, the CA, was arrested before the operator could hand over the money to him. He was nabbed along with CGST superintendent Sachin Gokulka and consultant Abhishek Mehta while transacting ₹20 lakh out of the remaining bribe amount. Eight persons, including six CGST officers, have been named as accused in the case.
The CBI will approach the finance ministry in New Delhi to seek permission to proceed further in the probe against the accused CGST officials, said CBI sources.
“We have recovered incriminating case-related details, including communications exchanged among the accused via encrypted instant messaging mobile apps,” said a CBI officer.