TN: CBI arrests two GST officials in Rs 15,000 bribery case

Chennai, April 8 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two officials of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department in Tamil Nadu’s Ranipet in connection with a bribery case, officials said on Wednesday.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Yellamilli Rinkesh, a Superintendent of GST, and Ramkesh Meena, an Inspector in the same department. The arrests were made following a trap operation conducted by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch based in Chennai.

According to the agency, the case was registered on April 7 after a complaint alleged that the Superintendent had demanded a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a taxpayer to facilitate the clearance of a GST registration. Following negotiations, the accused allegedly agreed to accept a reduced amount of Rs 15,000.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap on the same day and caught the Superintendent red-handed while demanding the bribe amount of Rs 15,000 from the complainant.

During subsequent proceedings, the Inspector's involvement also came to light.

Investigators said that upon sensing the presence of the trap team, the Inspector attempted to destroy evidence by concealing the bribe money in a toilet commode and flushing it.

However, the CBI team recovered the tainted cash during the operation.

Both officials were taken into custody following the recovery of the bribe amount and preliminary interrogation.

The agency has stated that further investigation is underway to ascertain the extent of involvement and whether more officials are linked to the case.

The CBI reiterated its commitment to curbing corruption in public offices and urged citizens to report complaints of corruption. Members of the public can report such incidents to the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch office in Chennai or through designated helplines.

The arrests highlight continued efforts by central agencies to crack down on bribery and misconduct within government departments, particularly in tax administration, where transparency and accountability are critical for public trust.

--IANS

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