In a decisive move against official corruption, the Odisha
Vigilance department successfully apprehended an Assistant Commercial Tax
and GST Officer for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to reduce a tax
penalty. The incident highlights the persistent challenges in tax compliance
and the stringent focus of the Vigilance department on ensuring transparency
and accountability within public offices.
The Case: Tax Default and the Illegal Demand
The accused officer, identified as Umakanta Mahakur,
served as the Assistant CT & GST Officer at the Titlagarh Circle in the
Bolangir district of Odisha.
The Tax Liability
The case began when a local businessman failed to pay his Professional
Tax for three consecutive financial years. The total tax liability due from
the complainant amounted to ₹7,500
(₹2,500 per year).
The Demand Note
In response to the default, the Assistant CT & GST
Officer, Mahakur, issued an official notice to the businessman. However, the
total amount demanded in the notice was ₹23,600, which included the core tax liability of ₹7,500, along with the accrued fine and
interest components.
The Bribe Negotiation
When the businessman approached the officer to request that
he be allowed to deposit only the core tax amount, the official allegedly saw
an opportunity for illegal gain. Instead of adhering to standard administrative
procedures, Mahakur reportedly demanded a bribe of ₹12,000 in exchange for waiving off the substantial fine and
interest component of the notice.
The Vigilance Trap and Immediate Action
Unwilling to comply with the illegal demand, the local
businessman took a crucial step for accountability: he lodged a formal
complaint with the Odisha Vigilance.
Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the Vigilance team laid a
meticulous trap.
- The
Apprehension:
On the designated day, the Vigilance team caught Umakanta Mahakur red-handed
while he was accepting the bribe money from the complainant.
- Seizure
of Tainted Money:
The entire demanded amount of ₹12,000 was immediately recovered from the
officer's possession and seized in the presence of witnesses, confirming
the crime.
- Simultaneous
Searches:
Following the successful trap, the Vigilance officials initiated
simultaneous search operations at multiple locations linked to the accused
officer. These searches are typically conducted as part of the
investigation to detect and ascertain if the official possesses any disproportionate
assets (DA) acquired through corrupt means.
Legal Proceedings and Conclusion
A formal case has been registered at the Sambalpur
Vigilance Police Station (Case No. 21/2025). The officer has been booked
under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018,
which deals with a public servant obtaining any undue advantage, including a
bribe.
The swift action taken by the Odisha Vigilance reinforces the
state’s commitment to curbing corruption, particularly within departments
responsible for revenue collection. Such successful operations send a strong
message that corrupt practices within the tax administration will be met with
immediate and stringent legal action, thereby promoting transparency and
accountability for the benefit of taxpayers and the public exchequer. Further
investigation into the matter is currently underway.
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