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Published on 6 April 2025

CBI Intensifies Anti-Corruption Efforts: Recent High-Profile Bribery Cases in India

Introduction

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its efforts to combat bribery and corruption in India, focusing on both public servants and private citizens. High-profile operations have unveiled significant corruption within the Customs, Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST), and Income Tax departments, leading to numerous arrests and convictions.

Recent CBI Operations Against Bribery and Corruption

1. Customs Bribery Case: ICD Tughlakabad, Delhi

Arrests:

  • Deputy Commissioner Om Prakash Bisht
  • Superintendent Amit Kumar
  • Peon Bijender Kumar
  • Customs House Agent Ashok Yadav
  • Employee Ravi Kant Mishra

Modus Operandi: Officials accepted bribes to impose reduced penalties on a Mumbai-based company, Radha Marketing. The bribe was funneled through the peon's bank account to the Deputy Commissioner.

Bribe Amount: Rs. 72,000 exchanged during the operation.

Cash Recovered: Rs. 19.25 lakh and incriminating documents were seized across nine locations.

CBI Action: The accused were apprehended during the bribe exchange.

2. CGST Bribery Case: Mumbai West Commissionerate

Arrests:

  • Superintendent of CGST (Anti-Evasion)
  • Chartered Accountant
  • Private individual

Case Details: The Superintendent and associates solicited a total bribe of Rs. 60 lakh to avoid arresting the complainant in an ongoing investigation.

Bribe Structure:

  • Rs. 30 lakh delivered via hawala (Angadia).
  • Rs. 20 lakh accepted during a CBI sting operation.

Modus Operandi: The complainant was detained in the CGST office pending the bribe payment. CBI apprehended the individuals during the transaction.

Searches: Nine premises were searched, resulting in incriminating documents.

3. Conviction: Former Central Excise Superintendent, Ahmedabad

Convicted:

  • Kishore Marotirao Ambavale for soliciting and accepting a bribe of Rs. 14,500 in 2013.

Court Verdict: The court sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs. 1 lakh (September 2024).

Judicial Remarks: The court described corruption as a “cancerous epidemic.”

4. Major Recent Operation: Income Tax Commissioner Bribery Case (May 2025)

Arrests:

  • Jeevan Lal Lavidiya (Commissioner of Income Tax, Hyderabad)
  • Sairam Palisetty
  • Natta Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopal
  • Viral Kantilal Mehta (DGM, Shapoorji Pallonji Group)
  • Sajida Majhar Hussain Shah

Bribe Amount: Rs. 70 lakh accepted through a middleman in exchange for favorable outcomes in tax appeals.

Cash Seized: Rs. 69 lakh and incriminating documents from 18 locations throughout Mumbai, Hyderabad, Khammam, Visakhapatnam, and New Delhi.

CBI Action: The accused were captured immediately after the bribe exchange, and further arrests are anticipated as the investigation develops.

CBI Investigation Process and Legal Framework

CBI Investigation Steps

  • Preliminary enquiry
  • FIR registration
  • Evidence collection (including trap operations)
  • Search and seizure
  • Arrests
  • Chargesheet filing

Trap Operations

The CBI employs standardized procedures to ensure corrupt officials are caught in the act, with evidence compiled for court presentation.

Legal Framework

Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), 1988 (amended 2018):

  • Addresses coercion of both bribe-givers and bribe-takers, including commercial entities.
  • Section 17A: Requires prior approval before investigating public servants for acts performed in official capacity.
  • Section 7A: Penalizes attempts to influence public servants through bribery.

Judicial Delays

Over 6,900 corruption cases handled by the CBI are languishing in trial, with some cases pending for over 20 years.

Key Takeaways and Trends

The CBI's operations increasingly target senior officials and complex bribery networks involving intermediaries and hawala methods. Recent amendments to the PCA have reinforced the legal framework, establishing the act of giving or receiving bribes as a direct offence. Although judicial delays pose challenges, convictions such as that of Ambavale indicate progress in tackling corruption.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How does the CBI conduct trap operations?
A: The CBI adheres to established procedures, ensuring that evidence is collected during the sting operation, which is then utilized for prosecution.

Q: What is the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA)?
A: The PCA is the primary legislation targeting corruption in India, encompassing both bribe-givers and takers, with a broader scope following the 2018 amendment.

Q: What occurs after a CBI investigation?
A: If sufficient evidence is gathered, the CBI files a chargesheet, and the case moves forward to trial.

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