Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Mar 28: In a major crackdown on corruption, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked five officials from the Income tax department in Hyderabad and their aide for allegedly extorting money from taxpayers by threatening them with hefty penalties.

The accused officers Quamar Aulam Khan, Manish Sikrawal, Gulnaz Rawoof, Kuthadi Srinivas Rao, and Mohd. Javeed along with private individual Bhagath Puliramidi, were named in the FIR after a taxpayer approached the CBI, exposing a fraudulent scheme involving nearly Rs 10 lac.

According to the FIR registered on Thursday, the officials used their official email IDs to demand supporting documents from taxpayers seeking high-value refunds. They would then personally contact the taxpayers, threatening them with severe penalties unless they paid bribes disguised as “penalty” fees. The collected amounts were routed through their aide Bhagath, who falsely claimed to be rectifying the tax returns.

In another case, the CBI has booked a former branch manager of SBI’s Ramakrishnanagar branch in Karimganj, Assam, for allegedly sanctioning Xpress Credit Loans to ineligible borrowers in exchange for bribes. Two private individuals were also implicated in the bank fraud, which took place between 2023 and 2024.

Searches at multiple locations, including Gaya (Bihar), Hailakandi (Assam), and two sites in Silchar (Assam), led to the recovery of substantial gold (481 gm), diamond (11.11 gm), and silver (1,092.80 gm) jewellery from the manager’s residence. The CBI also seized incriminating documents, transaction records, and electronic devices.

Both cases highlight the growing challenge of financial corruption, with authorities vowing stringent action against offenders to maintain public trust in the system.