What is Utkal Divas? Learn about the day that changed Odisha forever!
Utkal Divas, celebrated on April 1, marks Odisha’s statehood and cultural pride with grand festivities, showcasing its rich heritage and traditions.
Odisha vigilance, on Sunday, arrested a commercial tax and GST officer on the charge of bribery, evasion of taxes, and causing loss to the government, anti-corruption wing officials said.
The principal accused Binay Bhusan Tripathy, an assistant commissioner of enforcement unit, Jajpur, along with his two accomplices who were private persons, were arrested for evasion of taxes and misappropriation of government money over Rs 5.85 lakh, the vigilance officials said.
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According to officials, Tripathy intercepted a goods carrier carrying scrap weighing materials valued at around Rs 9 lakhon 7 May last. He detained the vehicle at a highway-side eatery and contacted the owner and demanded Rs.2.5 lakh as bribe to release the vehicle.
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However, when the bribe demand was not met, the accused allegedly sold the scraps to a trader, and realised nominal tax and misappropriated Rs 5.85 lakh, they said,
Tripathy is alleged to have similarly collected huge bribe amounts from various transporters, suppliers on grounds of evasion of taxes by flouting rules and norms of GST.
Investigation revealed that the corrupt officer was parking the bribes collected as cash deposits in various bank accounts of his family members, and later converting them to fixed deposits. One of such accounts was operated by him in the name of his father.
Further investigation of corrupt practices and accumulation of ill-gotten wealth by accused Tripathy is still in progress, they concluded.
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