Bhubaneswar: A CT & GST Assistant Commissioner fell under Odisha Vigilance scanner for allegedly siphoning off Govt money over Rs 5.85 lakh.

Based on the allegation, Vigilance of Cuttack Division comprising 7 Deputy SPs, 14 Inspectors and 25 more staff conducted raids at properties belonging to Binay Bhusan Tripathy, the Assistant Commissioner, CT & GST, Enforcement Unit, Jajpur, at five locations.

Tripathy is accused of causing loss to the government in the disposal of a vehicle carrying MS Scrap goods illegally without collecting taxes and penalty to the tune of Rs.5,85,356/

The verification revealed that the Assistant Commissioner at 1 PM on May 7 this year had intercepted one goods conveyance Vehicle bearing Regd. No. OD-04-L-2233 carrying MS Scrap weighing about 22,240 Kgs of worth Rs.8,89,600/- at Revena, Jajpur. He contacted the owner of the goods, and asked him to deposit Rs.3,20,000/- in the Cash Ledger as Tax and further demanded Rs.2,50,000/- towards illegal gratification in order to release his vehicle and material.

However, when that person failed to pay the bribe amount, Tripathy allegedly sold the entrire scrap to another scarp dealer and misappropriated approximately Rs.5,85,356.

This apart, Tripathy alleged has collected huge bribe amounts from various transporters/suppliers on grounds of evasion of taxes.

In this connection, searches are being conducted today by Odisha Vigilance at the following 5 places linked to Tripathy.

1. His Government quarter no. IV-R-10/3, Unit-2, Bhubaneswar.

2. Paternal house located at village Padmapur, Nirakarpur, Dist. Khordha.

3. Farm house under construction at Padmapur, PS. Nirakarpur.

4. Flat no.201, Krushnapriya Apartment Uttara Munda Muhana,Barmunda Bhubaneswar of Sri Tripathi.

5. Vill. Jadupur, Patakura, Kendrapara.