Top IRS Officer Arrested in Bribery Case; CBI Seizes Cash, Gold, and Silver Worth Crores
In a shocking revelation, a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, Amit Kumar Singal, was arrested over the weekend in a high-profile bribery case. Following the arrest, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at multiple locations connected to the officer, unearthing unaccounted assets including ₹1 crore in cash, 3.5 kg of gold, and 2 kg of silver, all collectively valued at around ₹3.5 crore.
Singal, a 2007 batch IRS officer serving as Additional Director General at the Directorate of Taxpayer Services in Delhi, allegedly demanded a bribe of ₹45 lakh from the owner of a pizza chain in exchange for resolving a tax notice.
According to the CBI’s FIR, Singal reportedly threatened legal action, heavy penalties, and continued harassment if the bribe was not paid. The complainant, Sanam Kapoor — owner of La Pino’z Pizza — claimed that Singal instructed him to deliver an initial ₹25 lakh installment to a residence in Mohali, Punjab.
The CBI laid a trap and arrested Singal’s associate, Harsh Kotak, red-handed while accepting the ₹25 lakh bribe on the officer’s behalf. Singal himself was arrested shortly after from his home in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj.
During follow-up raids conducted at locations in Delhi, Mumbai, and Punjab, the CBI recovered documents related to over 25 bank accounts, a bank locker, and several immovable properties. The total value of all movable and immovable assets is still being assessed.
Both Singal and Kotak were presented before a designated court on Sunday and have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.
This case has sparked serious concerns about corruption within high-ranking tax officials and underscores the challenges businesses face when confronted with abuse of power by public servants.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
