A CBI Court in Chennai, on 27 March 2026, convicted seven individuals, including a former Senior Tax Assistant of the Income Tax Department, in an income tax refund fraud case. The court sentenced all accused to four years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a total fine of ₹2.4 lakh. The case originated from a complaint filed by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, leading the Central Bureau of Investigation to register an FIR on 31 December 2019. The investigation revealed that between June 2015 and August 2019, fraudulent income tax refunds were generated using forged documents and fictitious identities, causing a loss of approximately ₹2.38 crore to the department. The main accused, a tax department official, was found to have played a key role and routed illicit proceeds through associates and family members to conceal the gains. After filing seven charge sheets in March 2021, the court convicted all accused following trial.
Central Bureau of Investigation
Dated: 27-03-2026
CBI Court Sentences Seven, Including Former Senior Tax Assistant (Income Tax), to Four Years’ RI with a total Fine of Rs 2.4 Lakh in Income Tax Refund Fraud Case
27-03-2026
The CBI Court, Chennai, today, i.e., 27.03.2026, convicted and sentenced Babu Prasath Kumar, the then Senior Tax Assistant in the Department of Income Tax and six private persons, namely, B Praveen Kumar; Trewellyn Marion Corneille; P Stephen; A Gopikrishna; Venkatesh and C Gunaseelan, to Rigorous Imprisonment for 4 Years with a total fine of Rs. 2.4 Lakh in income tax refund fraud case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI registered the instant case on 31.12.2019 based on a complaint received from the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, regarding fraudulent generation and issuance of income tax refunds through manipulation of the system using forged documents and fictitious identities during the period from 04.06.2015 to 31.08.2019 resulting in wrongful loss to the tune of Rs 2.38 Crore (approx) to the IT department.
Investigation revealed that the accused Babu Prasath Kumar, the then Senior Tax Assistant in the Department of Income Tax, Chennai, played a key role in the fraud and routed the proceeds of crime to various family members and associates to conceal the illegal gains.
After completion of investigation, CBI filed seven charge sheets on 01.03.2021 against the accused.
The Hon’ble Court, after the trial, convicted and sentenced them accordingly.
This case highlights the sustained commitment of the CBI in effectively investigating financial fraud and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice.
