Two Sales Tax officers arrested for accepting bribe

Thane, Mar 25 (UNI) Two senior officers of the Sales Tax department at Palghar were trapped by ACB slueths while accepting a bribe of Rs 2.50 lakh from a wine shop owner today.

The officials -- Assistant Commissioner Narendra Kasar, who took Rs 2.50 lakh from a wineshop owner Sadananad Karandikar and handed over a sum of Rs 1 lakh to his senior Srikrishna Bodkered, in their office, were arrested by the ACB sleuths through a trap.

A team of officers of the ST-VAT section had conducted business audit of the Karandikar's wineshop, at Chatrori in Dahanu on March 14, 2008. During the audit, the officials had picked up certain lapses and demanded a sum of Rs 50,000 to cover it up, ACB official said here.

The officials later demanded a sum of Rs 2.50 lakhs, which was to be paid in their office today and threatened Karandikar that if he fails to give them the amount, they would rope him by putting a demand of Rs 8 to 10 lakhs, the officials added.

A case has been registered against them.

UNI XR RN AG2010