Lucknow, March 19 (PTI): The Vigilance Establishment of the Uttar Pradesh Police achieved a significant breakthrough on Tuesday with the arrest of Deputy Commissioner (Commercial Tax) of Lucknow, Dhanendra Kumar Pandey, caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh in exchange for expediting a GST refund, a senior officer of the Vigilance Establishment disclosed.
Arvind Chaturvedi, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Vigilance Establishment, Lucknow unit, informed PTI that the UP Vigilance Establishment is actively conducting trap actions against public servants across the state, adhering to the government’s zero tolerance policy against corruption. He emphasized the issuance of an anti-bribery helpline to facilitate such actions.
The arrest unfolded following a tip-off received on the anti-bribery helpline, where a representative of an export company reported that the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Tax in Lucknow demanded a bribe of Rs 2 lakh to facilitate the GST refund process for the company. The refund, amounting to approximately Rs 20 lakh, was awaiting approval by Deputy Commissioner (GST) Zone 20, Dhanendra Kumar Pandey, stationed at the Commercial Tax Office on Mirabai Marg in Lucknow.
Acting swiftly on this information, a team was formed and legal procedures were followed. The Vigilance Establishment raided the commercial tax office around 4 pm on Tuesday, apprehending Pandey red-handed while accepting the bribe of Rs 2 lakh.
Chaturvedi further elaborated that an FIR was promptly registered against the accused under the Anti-Corruption Act at the Vigilance Police Station, Lucknow Sector.
This successful operation underscores the commitment of the Vigilance Establishment in upholding integrity and combating corruption within the administration. Such actions send a clear message of accountability and deterrence against malpractices, ensuring a fair and transparent governance system.
[This story has not been edited by fintaxbytes and is auto-generated from PTI]
