The Anti-Corruption Bureau of CBI on Sunday searched the Chembur residence of Sumitra Banerji, additional commissioner of I-T, Thane, who was arrested along with her husband Subroto, on Saturday for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from a builder.
In an obvious indication of the couple having amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, the CBI team said it found large amounts of cash both in Indian and foreign currencies, jewellery worth lakhs of rupees and documents relating to several properties in India and abroad.
Sources said the high-flying I-T official was found in possession of foreign currency belonging to 25 countries and has flats worth crores in Malaysia. The couple has also been found to have overseas bank accounts where, CBI suspects, they parked their money to avoid raising suspicion at home.
At the time of going to press, the searches at the couple’s home and the scrutiny of their bank accounts and property documents were still on. “We are still in the process of calculating the wealth the duo has amassed. There is a bank locker which we have not yet opened. There is more scrutiny on the anvil and more skeletons could tumble out of their cupboards,” said a senior CBI officer who was part of the raids.
Meanwhile, CBI sleuths have questioned a chartered accountant, identified as K B Amlani, in connection with the case. Amlani is suspected to be the middleman who fixed deals for Sumitra. It was through Amlani, CBI suspects, that tax evaders got in touch with Sumitra, who facilitated their escape from I-T department’s clutches for a bribe.
Sumitra had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 4 crore, which was later reduced to Rs 1.70 crore, to fraudulently reduce the builder’s tax liability of Rs 25 crore to just Rs 1.05 crore.
What CBI found in the banerji home
• Cash: Rs 46 lakh
• Foreign Currency: Rs 5 lakh (belonging to 25 countries)
• Flats: 1 in Malaysia, 1 in Pune, 2 in Chembur
• Bank accounts: Deposits worth Rs 2 crore each in OCBC bank in Singapore and Malaysia
• Four bank accounts in IDBI Mumbai, with deposits worth Rs 35 lakh
• Fixed deposit: Worth Rs 20 lakh
• Cars: Two high-end models of Toyta Corrolla and Skoda
• Jewellery: worth Rs 50 lakh
Related Post:- CBI arrested Income tax officer and her husband for accepting Rs. 1.70 crore bribe in Mumbai
Ref. Mr. Binoy Gupta’s query, I think, the husband of this eminent lady IRS officer is also keen player in the same corrupt Service only. This also shows that our Enforceme\nt Deptt/RBI/Customs/CBDT/Deptt. of Revenue DRI TOP BOSSES have all along been in the payroll/”good books” of the lady!
What is being left out from the otherwise sensational news are primary details of the Addl. Commissioner’s husband.
Some one should make the effort and find out what the husband does.
Then only some meaningful discussion can be made.
He may have his own sources of income from which he purchased the overseas properties and made overseas investments.
He may even be an NRI.
Binoy Gupta
There is no doubt at all that this criminal officer was not evaluated properly by the UPSC during her VIVA and, later, while she was at the NADT under training-or even by the police before the appointment for necessary police verification. Moreover, it is also clear that she has been sharing her loot (plus what else we may never know) with the bosses at the top in the North Block/field. Will these also be revealed by the CBI? And can the CBI give an undertaking that she will not go scot free after about 10 years and continue to enjoy life and, above all, will not go on deputation as a CVO to some PSU/Central Govt. Deptt. as happened in many such cases?
SAVASH INCOME TAX OFFICERS’ KEEP IT UP. THAT’s THE WAY TO GRAB MONEY FROM BLACK MARKETERS>
No great news; all functionaries carry home daily cash; a routine affair and this rot, I am afraid, cannot be removed by these rulers. People come and go; but this corruption goes on.
Indian rulers facilitate corruption and can never punish its corrupt babus. Corruption and tax evasion can be removed if punishment of life/death is made mandatory once a person is caught and proved. Settlement commissions are safe shelters for tax evaders. Indian corruption is disgusting.
Dear Sir, if there is survey of Income Tax of the Assessee who is some what paying Income Tax these Bastered Officers were demanding bribes for settlement and less disclouser of unaccounted income. My Question to Government and to CBDT is that there are many more peoples in this country who are not having even PAN card but they are owners of huge Assets and Properties then why should these people not examined for evasion of Income Tax by the Department. Why should not the CBDT make survey of the Politicians and Government Officers who are having huge funds, properties and many assets of high value. Why the CBDT is harrashing people who are regularly paying Taxes on their Self Assessment. I request CBDT and Hon. Finance Minister to change the rules of Assessment Proceedings. There should be a procedure to hang till Death to the Goverment Officers and Politicians who found accepting bribes for evasion of taxes and loosing Government Revenue. In many cases of Assessments the Assessee is innocent but these Bastered Officers pressuring him to disclose more income as his unaccounted income though he is ready for some amount he is pressured for more disclouser. In my opinion Sumitra Banerjee and her Husband and the Shameful Chartered Accountant should be Hangged till Death for this wrong thing and the property of all these three peoples be deposited to the Government Account. Unless the Government take corrective measures this Corruption Cancer doesnot comes to an end. I humbly request to stop corruption and for this everybody should contribute their efforts to bring such matters to the CBI. Jia Hind Jai Bharat An Angry Indian and Anticorruption DON.
Oh, great. But like a similar case of about 30 years ago (with a repeat event about 12 years ago) in the case of the same lady IRS officer, rest assured, this case is certainly bound to end in happiness for the accused, with the couple to enjoy the fruits of their achievements! She will get her promotions, arrears with interest, as there is no law to confiscate the immorally/illegally acquired assets/properties/jewellery. After all there are CMs, judicial men, highest civil servants-business houses apart-in the same illuminating category!