Here’s a summary of the news report regarding the arrests in a bribery case involving a Hyderabad Income Tax Commissioner and a Shapoorji Pallonji employee, based on recent news reports:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Hyderabad Income Tax Commissioner (Exemptions) Jeevan Lal Lavidiya and four other individuals, including a Deputy General Manager (Taxation) from Shapoorji Pallonji Group, Viral Kantilal Mehta, in connection with a ₹70 lakh bribery case.
According to the CBI, the arrests were made following allegations that Lavidiya, who also held additional charges of Income Tax Appeals Units, was involved in corrupt practices and demanding bribes to favour parties in tax appeal cases. It is alleged that Lavidiya demanded ₹1.2 crore from Viral Mehta to settle a tax appeal in favour of Shapoorji Pallonji Infrastructure Gujarat Pvt Ltd. An amount of ₹15 lakh was reportedly already collected through middlemen, and the ₹70 lakh was the next instalment.
A trap was laid by the CBI in Mumbai, where one of the alleged middlemen was apprehended while accepting the ₹70 lakh bribe on behalf of the Commissioner. Subsequently, Lavidiya and other associates were arrested from Hyderabad and other locations.
The other individuals arrested have been identified as Sairam Palisetty, Natta Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopal, and Sajida Majhar Hussain Shah, who are allegedly middlemen involved in facilitating the bribes. The CBI has also registered a case against 15 individuals and entities in connection with the matter.
Searches were conducted at around 18 locations across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Khammam, Visakhapatnam, and New Delhi. These searches led to the recovery of approximately ₹69 lakh in cash, in addition to the bribe amount of ₹70 lakh, along with various incriminating documents and articles.
Investigations are ongoing, and further arrests are possible as the case involves multiple individuals named in the FIR. Shapoorji Pallonji Group has reportedly stated that they were made aware of the allegations against their employee and that the alleged conduct was not with the knowledge or sanction of the Group. They have initiated an internal enquiry and are cooperating with the authorities.
Reports also indicate that during his previous postings, Lavidiya was allegedly involved in other instances of bribery, including receiving a flat worth ₹2.5 crore in Mumbai as a bribe to favour another company in a tax appeal. This property was reportedly registered in a benami name. Bribes in other cases involving different entities are also being investigated.
This article and Images are made with assistance of AI.
