CBI Arrests IRS Officer in ₹40 Lakh Bribery Case; Court Declares Arrest Illegal

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested an IRS officer, a CGST superintendent and a private individual in an alleged ₹40 lakh bribery case in Maharashtra. The accused include Vinay Kumar Kanheti, an IRS officer serving as Additional Commissioner of CGST in Raigad, Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha and private person Narinder Rajput. The agency alleged that the officials demanded money to settle a GST and royalty-related dispute involving a stone-quarrying company.

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CBI Trap Leads to Arrests in ₹40 Lakh Bribery Case

According to the CBI, Sinha initially demanded ₹1.50 crore from the complainant to resolve the matter. Following negotiations, the alleged demand was reduced to ₹40 lakh. The accused officials allegedly arranged for Rajput to collect the money on their behalf. The CBI then laid a trap and caught Rajput while he was allegedly accepting the ₹40 lakh. Investigators later arrested the two CGST officials in connection with the case.

The agency also conducted searches at premises linked to the accused during its investigation. Officials reportedly recovered ₹43 lakh in cash along with jewellery valued at around ₹90 lakh. The CBI claimed that the accused officials acknowledged the acceptance of the alleged bribe. After making the arrests, the agency approached the Special Court in Thane and sought five days of police custody for further interrogation.

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Thane Court Declares Arrests Illegal, Orders Release of Accused

However, the Thane Special Court rejected the CBI’s request for further custodial interrogation and questioned the legality of the arrests. The defence argued that authorities had failed to properly communicate the grounds and reasons for arrest. After examining the arrest memos and case diary, the court found that the records did not establish that the accused had properly understood the reasons for their arrests. The court also noted that their relatives had not received written information about the arrests.

The court subsequently declared the arrests of all three accused illegal and ordered their immediate release. It directed each accused to execute a personal recognizance bond of ₹15,000 and provide a surety for the same amount. The court also instructed them to cooperate with the CBI investigation whenever required. The order does not end the corruption probe, allowing the agency to continue collecting evidence and pursuing the case according to law.

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