Politics · India Bureau
Thane Court Quashes CBI Arrests of Senior IRS Officer in Graft Case
A Thane court has ruled that CBI arrests of a senior Income Tax officer and two others accused of demanding Rs 1.5 crore in bribes were legally unjustified. The court ordered their immediate release on personal bonds.
LSN India ·
A sessions court in Thane, Maharashtra, on Friday set aside the Central Bureau of Investigation's arrest of a senior IRS officer and two co-accused in an alleged bribery case, declaring the detention to be legally unsustainable.
The court found the CBI's arrest procedure in the Rs 1.5-crore graft case did not meet legal requirements and ordered the release of all three accused on personal bonds. The ruling marks a significant setback for the federal agency's investigation into the allegations of extortion by tax officials.
Details regarding the specific charges against the IRS officer and the circumstances of the alleged bribery demand remain unclear from the court's order. The court's decision to invalidate the arrests suggests potential procedural lapses in the CBI's investigation or arrest documentation.
The case centres on allegations that the tax official and associates had demanded substantial sums from individuals or businesses in exchange for favourable treatment. The Thane court's verdict now paves the way for the accused to challenge further proceedings or seek bail on more lenient terms in higher courts if the CBI chooses to pursue the matter.