Income Tax official suspended for demanding bribe

New Delhi Dec 8 (IANS) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has suspended a senior Income Tax Department official of the Gujarat region for allegedly demanding a bribe from an assessee an official said on Friday.

The CBDT has put under suspension Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax D.K. Meena posted at Surendranagar in the department s Gujarat region for harassing a taxpayer in a scrutiny case.

The department had "zero tolerance" to such malpractices and corruption a Finance Ministry release said here.

"The officer is alleged to have sought illegal gratification through the taxpayer s chartered accountant for favourably completing the assessment " it said.

"The audio recordings of the conversations were also received which inter alia mention the bribe amount being demanded by the officer of the department for settling the case " the release said.

While the department s Vigilance Directorate found serious lapses and irregularities in the case the matter is under investigation and Meena has been suspended pending the results of the inquiry it added.

--IANS
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