By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JUNE 25, 2016: THE CBI has registered a case against NINE officers of the Income Tax Department and three private individuals in an alleged corruption case. One of the officers is of the Principal CIT rank and two of CIT-rank. Five of them are of JC-rank and one of DC-rank, states the CBI Press Release.

The key allegations were that the officials availed undue benefits from the private individual for themselves as well as for their friends and relatives in the form of stay in luxury hotels, flight trips, hospitality and tours and travels to places at the expense of the private individual.

Searches in the residences of all connected persons were held at as many as 22 places spread over six States - Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telengana, Maharashtra and Delhi.

The searches led to the seizure of 57 documents on the whole out of which 43 were property documents. Rs.22.29 lakh cash was seized while Rs.37 lakhs in two bank accounts was frozen. Details of FDRs to the tune of Rs.78.7 lakhs have been unearthed during the search operations.

An i-pad and 23 pen drives have been seized for analysis.

Three lockers were searched in connection with these searches and three more are identified for further operations. Searches also revealed 4.28 kg. of gold and 13 kg. of silver.

Three premises are under seal for further searches while one house search and two locker operations are underway.