CBI arrests IRS officer, businessman in bribery case

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, Amit Singal, along with a businessman, Harsh Kotak, in connection with an alleged bribery case. Singal, a 2007-batch IRS officer, currently posted as additional director general in the Directorate of Taxpayer Services, New Delhi, was apprehended from his residence in Vasant Kunj, south Delhi.The duo is accused of demanding a Rs 45 lakh bribe and accepting Rs 25 lakh as part payment from a complainant. The CBI acted following a complaint by businessman Sanam Kapoor, the owner of the La Pino'z pizza chain.According to Kapoor's counsel, Gagandeep Jammu, Kapoor was being harassed with official notices after a business dispute. In 2017, Kapoor had entered into a franchise agreement with Mumbai-based businessman Harsh Kotak, who was allegedly partnering with Singal's mother in the venture."The harassment started last year after Kapoor discovered that Kotak started procuring raw materials from other sources at cheaper rates, violating their agreement. Though Kapoor had the option to terminate the franchisee contract, he was coerced into buying it back for Rs 1.6 crores, which was substantially higher than the original value of Rs 25 lakh," Jammu said.The complainant was allegedly harassed through repeated notices from the Income Tax and Food Safety departments. Eventually, a bribe of Rs 45 lakh was allegedly demanded by Singal to ‘close the notice', Jammu said. On May 30, Kotak met Kapoor in Chandigarh and called him to Singal's Mohali residence with the bribe, it has been alleged. This was when the complainant sought CBI's help.According to a statement issued by CBI, a case was registered on May 31 against the accused on allegations that the accused—a public servant—demanded illegal gratification of Rs 45 lakh from the complainant in exchange for extending favourable treatment from the Revenue/Income Tax Department. The demand was accompanied by threats of legal action, imposition of heavy penalties, and harassment in case of non-compliance."Subsequently, the CBI laid a trap and caught the accused private individual, Harsh Kotak, red-handed while he was demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from the complainant on behalf of the public servant, at the latter's residence in Mohali," the CBI said. The agency subsequently nabbed Singal from his Delhi residence and seized 2.5 kg of gold jewellery and Rs 30 lakh in cash during searches, sources said.Both accused were arrested and produced before the court. Searches are being conducted by CBI at multiple locations across Delhi, Punjab, and Mumbai in this case.