CBI Nabs Middleman in Rs 3 Lakh Bribery Case Unveiling Corruption Nexus in Tezpur

The CBI has arrested a middleman accepting a Rs 3 lakh bribe for an accused CGST Inspector in Tezpur, Assam. The investigation revealed demand and partial payment of Rs 5 lakh for business facilitation. Searches uncovered Rs 9 lakh and incriminating documents. The probe continues.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has apprehended a middleman while he accepted a bribe of Rs 3 lakh on behalf of an accused Inspector from the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) department in Tezpur, Assam. The middleman, identified as Aniket Pareek from Balipara, Assam, was caught in the act.

A case was registered by the CBI on July 21, 2024, following a complaint that Inspector Rakesh Jangid of CGST, Tezpur, demanded Rs 5 lakh from a hardware store owner in exchange for facilitating smooth business operations. The complainant alleged that Jangid had already coerced him into paying Rs 2 lakh as part of the bribe on July 12, 2024.

Subsequently, the Inspector instructed the complainant to hand over the remaining Rs 3 lakh to Pareek. The CBI executed a trap strategy, apprehending Pareek red-handed while accepting the bribe. Following the arrest, raids were conducted at locations linked to the accused in Balipara and Tezpur in Assam, and Jaipur and Churu in Rajasthan, resulting in the seizure of Rs 9 lakh in unexplained cash and other incriminating materials. The investigation continues to unveil further details.