Five central excise officials booked for service tax fraud

2011-04-20 00:50:00 Last Updated: 2011-04-20 04:47:23

CBI Mumbai: Five top officials of the central excise here have been booked by the CBI's anti-corruption unit for their alleged involvement in a service tax scam to the tune of Rs 10.9 crore, CBI said on Tuesday. CBI sleuths on Tuesday conducted searches at offices and residential premises in Nagpur, Mumbai and Chandrapur. They seized relevant documents and registered offences under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the IPC against the five, CBI SP Thomas John said. Two officers of the rank of deputy commissioners and three superintendents of central excise here helped prominent companies like Bajaj Steel, Llyod Steel and Sun Flag in evading service tax on foreign business deals and avoiding penalty, he said. The officers were identified as N B Meshram and George Varghese (deputy commissioners) and superintendents D B Patil, J S Solankhi and B K Athle. All the five, by favouring the erring companies, have caused a loss of Rs 10.9 crore to the government, John said.

All About: Service tax scam, Central excise, CBI, Topnews, Bajaj Steel, Sun Flag, Llyod Steel Courtesy:PTI