DVAC sleuths nab CTO for accepting bribe for GST certificate in Tiruchy

TIRUCHY: DVAC sleuths arrested a Commercial Tax Officer (CTO) in Tiruchy on Wednesday for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from a jeweller for issuing GST certificate. According to DVAC, S Sesu, a small-time jeweller from Puthanatham near Manapparai here wanted to get the permit to stamp hallmark to the jewels he made and so he applied for the GST certificate on June 25 through online mode. It is said, there is no fee collected for GST certificates by any mode. In such a backdrop, the Commercial Tax Officer (Manapparai Circle) Govindasamy visited his shop on Tuesday and conducted an inspection. After completing the procedure, Govindasamy asked Sesu to meet him in the office and so, on the same day evening, Sesu went to the office and met Govindasamy who demanded a bribe of Rs 2,000 for issuing a GST certificate. Sesu, who did not want to give bribes, lodged a complaint with the DVAC Tiruchy. On Wednesday, the DVAC team led by the DSP Manikandan rushed to the Commercial Tax Office and caught Govindasamy red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000 from Sesu. Subsequently, he was arrested.