CBI Books GST Intelligence Officer in ₹1 Crore Bribery Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a corruption case against a suspended Senior Intelligence Officer of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Bengaluru Zonal Unit, for allegedly accepting a ₹1 crore bribe from a Mysuru-based businessman in exchange for extending undue favour in a GST investigation.

According to the CBI, the accused officer, Praveen Kumar Yadav, allegedly received the bribe from Mohammed Kamran, proprietor of a scrap trading business in Mysuru, on September 11, 2025. The alleged payment was purportedly made to influence an ongoing investigation relating to an input tax credit (ITC) fraud of about ₹21 crore and to provide relief from enforcement action.

The corruption case was initiated after the DGGI, Bengaluru Zonal Unit, conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations. Based on its findings, the department lodged a complaint with the CBI on October 6, 2025, following which the competent authority granted sanction under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, enabling the CBI to investigate the public servant.

The CBI registered the FIR on July 8, 2026, a day after the Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition filed by businessman Mohammed Kamran challenging his arrest by the DGGI in September 2025. The High Court upheld the legality of the arrest and declined to interfere with the GST investigation.

Court records show that the DGGI had alleged Kamran fraudulently availed and passed on inadmissible input tax credit exceeding ₹21 crore through fake invoices without actual supply of goods or services, primarily involving ferrous scrap transactions. The investigation also covered associated business entities suspected of participating in the alleged GST fraud.

According to the CBI's case, the investigating officer is suspected of demanding and accepting illegal gratification in return for extending official favours during the GST probe. The agency is examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment, the role of all persons involved, and whether any abuse of official position took place.

The registration of the FIR marks the beginning of the criminal investigation. The allegations are yet to be tested in court, and the guilt or innocence of the accused will be determined through the due legal process.

The case highlights the government's continued focus on tackling corruption within enforcement agencies while ensuring accountability in investigations relating to GST evasion and fraudulent input tax credit claims. It also underlines that allegations of corruption involving public servants are subject to investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act after obtaining the necessary legal authorisation. CA Sansaar