CBI has chargesheeted former Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax Yogendra Mittal for allegedly taking illegal gratification from StockGuru scam accused Ullas Prabhakar Khaire in exchange of an assurance that he would settle his case.
In its charge sheet filed before Special CBI Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna, the agency claimed that Mittal had led an inspection team when several incriminating documents and Rs 34.69 crore were recovered from residential and office premises of Khaire.
Khaire has also been chargesheeted by CBI in the case.
“Khaire, in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy with Mittal, in order to save himself, offered a part of cash recovered to Mittal. Mittal demanded extra money for extending favours, assured Khaire of a favourable appraisal report and allowed operation of all his frozen bank accounts.
“Thereafter, Khaire informed Mittal about cash lying in his Rajasthan flat. Later, a letter for defreezing the bank accounts in SBI, Delhi, was issued.
“On Khaire’s request to return 50 per cent of the recovered cash, Mittal made further demand of Rs 30 crore,” the charge sheet alleged, adding that Rs 15 crore was paid to the officer by Khaire.
CBI alleged that Mittal had also assured adjustment of recovered money as income tax.
It said that Khaire video recorded his conversation with Mittal using a spy camera regarding demand and acceptance of the bribe.
“The video clip proves that an explicit demand of bribe was made by Mittal from Khaire. An audio clip was also recovered in this case,” the agency alleged, holding that while moving the proposal for defreezing the bank accounts, Mittal willfully concealed the facts.
After defreezing of the bank accounts, Khaire withdrew the funds and absconded. He was arrested in Delhi in November 2012. Mittal was also arrested in December 2013.
In the StockGuru scam, Khaire and his wife Raksha were arrested in 2012 by Delhi Police from Maharashtra for allegedly duping around two lakh investors in seven states of nearly Rs 493 crore by promising them high returns on investment through their firm StockGuru, which dealt with the share market.
( Source – PTI )
