Panvel Bribery Case: CBI Arrests Raigad CGST Superintendent, Consultant For Demanding ₹1 Crore Bribe

The accused have been identified as Pankaj Kumar alias Pankaj Rajput, Superintendent in the Land and Building Section of the CGST and Central Excise Raigad Commissionerate, and consultant Prasad Kumar Swami.

The CBI registered the case on September 9 following a complaint by the project head of a private real-estate company.

The company was redeveloping two buildings in Sector 17, New Panvel, which included 24 flats belonging to the CGST and Central Excise Raigad Commissionerate.

According to the complaint, Kumar allegedly demanded ₹1 crore for issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) and facilitating the handover of the flats for redevelopment. The alleged bribe was to be paid in instalments. During verification of the complaint, the CBI alleged that Kumar sought ₹10 lakh in cash immediately, ₹20 lakh as the down payment for a flat he was purchasing, and ₹70 lakh at a later stage.

The agency further alleged that Kumar described the ₹70 lakh as money meant for other officers of the Directorate General of Human Resource Development, CGST, in New Delhi. However, no finding has been made establishing wrongdoing by any unnamed officer.

CBI lays trap over alleged ₹10 lakh payment

The CBI laid a trap on September 10 after Kumar allegedly instructed the complainant to hand over the initial ₹10 lakh to consultant Prasad Kumar Swami.

Swami was allegedly present to receive the money when the operation was conducted. Both accused were arrested on the same day. They were produced before the competent court on September 11 and remanded to two days of CBI custody.

The alleged ₹1 crore demand and the ₹10 lakh transaction at the centre of the trap are separate aspects of the case. While the investigation concerns the alleged total demand, the trap focused on the initial payment.

NOC and redevelopment approval under investigation

The case concerns the alleged use of official authority connected with the issuance of an NOC and the handover of government-owned flats involved in a redevelopment project.

The allegation is that the clearance process was used to seek illegal gratification from the private developer. The CBI will examine the official role of the accused, the redevelopment approvals and the circumstances in which the alleged demand was made.

The ₹20 lakh component of the alleged demand is also likely to be examined. The agency has alleged that Kumar wanted the amount to be paid towards the down payment of a flat he was purchasing.

Investigators are expected to examine payment instructions, property records, communications and the financial relationship between Kumar and the consultant.

The arrest of Swami has also brought the role of the consultant under investigation.

The CBI will have to establish whether he was merely present during the alleged transaction, knowingly acted as an intermediary or played a larger role in arranging the payment.

The agency’s investigation will determine the nature of his involvement and whether he had any role beyond allegedly receiving the initial payment. The alleged reference to ₹70 lakh being intended for other CGST officers may lead the CBI to examine whether any other persons were involved.

Investigators may examine call records, messages, financial documents and communications concerning the redevelopment approval. They may also look into whether similar demands were allegedly made in other matters handled by the same office.

No other officer has so far been reported as arrested in the case.

The present proceedings concern the arrested superintendent and consultant. Any wider involvement or alleged nexus will have to be established through evidence and further investigation.