Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday arrested five persons including a Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemptions), Hyderabad, Jeevan Lal Lavidiya, and four others immediately after handing over the bribe of Rs. 70 lakh meant for the Commissioner. Apart from Jeevan Lal, the other arrested include Sairam Palisetty of Srikakulam, Natta Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopal of Visakhapatnam, Viral Kantilal Mehta, DGM (Taxation), Shapoorji Pallonji Group and resident of Chembur in Mumbai and Sajida Majhar Hussain Shah of Chembur in Mumbai, according to CBI press release issued on Saturday. The CBI registered a case on May 9 against Jeevan Lal and 14 other persons and entities. The allegations were that Jeevan Lal, who is also holding the Additional Charge of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals Unit-8) and (Appeals Unit-7), at the office of the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Hyderabad, in connivance with middlemen was indulging in corrupt and illegal activities of obtaining undue gratification for extending illegal favours in deciding appeals in favour of private parties whose appeals were pending with him for decision, the release added. The CBI laid a trap and caught an accused middleman while accepting a bribe of Rs. 70 lakh from a private party, at Mumbai on behalf of Jeevan Lal, who is 2004 batch IRS-IT. Consequently, he and his associates were also arrested from Hyderabad. Searches were being conducted by CBI at 18 locations in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Khammam, Visakhapatnam and New Delhi which has led to recovery of various incriminating documents and articles including cash of Rs. 69 lakh approximately besides the bribe amount of Rs. 70 lakh. The searches are still underway. The accused arrested at Mumbai are being produced before the court of special judge, CBI Cases in Mumbai while the accused arrested at Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are being produced before the competent court in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
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