CBI Arrests Two IRS Officers Among Seven in SEEPZ Bribery Racket Investigation

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detained seven individuals, including two Indian Revenue Service officers, in a bribery scandal. These officers were stationed at the Santacruz Electronics Export Processing Zone (SEEPZ) in Mumbai. The arrests occurred during an operation that began on Tuesday. Among those arrested are Joint Development Commissioner CPS Chauhan and Deputy Development Commissioner Prasad Varwantkar, along with five others, including two assistant development commissioners.

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The CBI's investigation revealed that these officials allegedly favoured certain middlemen in exchange for illegal financial benefits. During searches at the residences and offices of the accused, the CBI seized approximately Rs 1.20 crore in cash and property documents worth crores of rupees. The agency also conducted a joint surprise check as part of their operation.

Bribery Allegations and Arrests

In addition to the IRS officers, an assistant, an authorised officer, and an upper division clerk from the SEEPZ office in Mumbai were also taken into custody. The CBI spokesperson stated that these arrests are linked to allegations of "collusive corruption." The officials were accused of accepting undue advantages through middlemen from parties operating within SEEPZ.

The alleged corrupt activities involved allotment of space, disposal of imported goods, and sale of duty-free imported goods without paying duty. They also reportedly favoured civil contractors in return for monetary considerations. The CBI spokesperson highlighted these allegations in a statement released to the media.

Seizure of Cash and Documents

During searches at various locations in Mumbai, the CBI recovered documents related to 27 immovable properties. Three luxury vehicles were found at the residence of accused CPS Chauhan. Additionally, cash amounting to Rs 61.5 lakh was seized from other accused individuals, including Rs 47 lakh from assistant development commissioner Rekha Nair's residence.

A joint surprise check at SEEPZ led to the discovery of around Rs 60 lakh in cash. This money was allegedly collected by a private middleman on behalf of SEEPZ-SEZ officers. The cash was reportedly stored in bags containing envelopes with details such as bribe amounts, names of bribe givers, and intended recipients.

Middleman's Role and Further Investigations

The CBI registered a case against nine individuals on Tuesday, including seven public servants and two private middlemen. It was alleged that CPS Chauhan and other officers engaged in "collusive corruption." A private middleman was reportedly collecting bribes on behalf of SEEPZ-SEZ officers.

The middleman allegedly collected Rs 15 lakh from another person on December 12. He supposedly handed over this amount to the accused Joint Development Commissioner (JDC), who kept Rs 7 lakh for himself and distributed Rs 8 lakh among SEEPZ officers. During searches, Rs 4 lakh of this distributed bribe was recovered.

No immediate comments were available from the families or lawyers representing those arrested. The investigation continues as authorities delve deeper into the allegations surrounding this bribery racket.