CBI charge sheets former IT officials in bribery case

New Delhi, June 14 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against former Additional Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Ahmedabad, and a private individual in a bribery case.

The CBI filed the charge sheet in a special court against then Additional Commissioner Santosh Karnani, Assistant Commissioner Vivek Johri, and private person Malav Mehta.

It registered a case against Karnani on October 12, 2022, based on a request from the Gujarat government.

Initially, the case was lodged with the Ahmedabad City Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Police Station, and later the CBI took over the investigation.

The case pertained to a bribery amount of Rs 30 lakh. It was alleged that when the ACB team from Gujarat reached Karnani's office, he escaped by creating a ruckus.

Before escaping, Karnani had handed over two mobile handsets to Johri, who facilitated Karnani's escape and disposed of the two mobile handsets by throwing them into the Sabarmati River.

The CBI recovered both mobiles from the Sabarmati River with the help of divers and other agencies. During the investigation, Karnani and Johri were arrested, and they are presently in judicial custody.

Further investigation is underway to uncover the larger conspiracy.