Big corruption crackdown by Modi government, 12 top officials forced to retire. Details here

In a major crackdown on corruption by the Modi government, on Monday, 12 top government officials mainly belonging to the income tax department have been asked to 'compulsorily retire' under rule 56 J of the General Financial Rules (GFRs), according to sources in the Finance ministry.

All 12 officials belonging to the 1980s batch of Indian Revenue Services have been either charged or accused with multiple cases ranging from disproportionate assets, tax evasions, corruption charges, sexual harassment to disciplinary proceedings to name a few charges. Most of them are in the rank of Chief Commissioners, Principal Commissioners, Commissioners of Income Tax department, according to Finance ministry sources.

Most of the ousted officials were known for collusion with departmental officers and government counsels /empanelled lawyers in CAT/High Courts to provide/leak department’s confidential internal documents and force them to dilute his departmental/ prosecution cases. 

Here is the list of the ousted officials along with their charges:

• Ashok Agarwal (IRS 1985), Joint Commissioner Income Tax

This former deputy director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was previously suspended from 1999 to 2014 amidst serious complaints of corruption and major extortion from businessmen accused of helping the alleged Godman  Chandraswami. 
In 2005, CBI had launched prosecution on the charge of acquiring disproportionate assets worth Rs.12 crore which he attempted to thwart by hiring eminent lawyers like Ram Jethmalani to initiate Initiated more than 40 litigations in CAT, High Court, and Supreme Court. He has recently initiated proceedings in the High Court to direct the Government for appointing him as member of CBDT.

• S K Srivastava  ( IRS 1989) – Commissioner( Appeal), Noida

This officer has been accused of sexual harassment on two lady IRS Commissioners. He has also managed to get tax evasions stating that the two lady IRS officers had received huge income from corruption and prostitution. His appeals are currently lying pending in the ITAT. He too has hired Jethmalani to fight his cases.

He has filed a contempt petition against Former Revenue Secretary and the Establishment Officer in a frivolous case which is his standard tactic. He has also prolonged cases for 10 years by filing 75 petitions in CAT, High Court, and Supreme Court and has approached  UPSC  to defer the cases of promotion of his batch and his juniors due to which promotion of three batches are held up for the last two-three years. He has been pressurizing for being promoted as Chief Commissioner of Income Tax.

• Homi Rajvansh (IRS 1985)

This officer has acquired movable and immovable assets worth Rs.3,17,78,462/- in his and his family's names by abusing his official position. He was arrested by CBI after absconding from his Headquarters to evade arrest and was then suspended.

While on deputation to NAFED as Addl. Managing Director, he had allegedly advanced huge amounts (totalling about Rupees Two hundred and Ninety-One crores) to 9 companies without obtaining approval of Competent Authority or any bank guarantees, which resulted in all nine companies defaulting on repayment causing loss of hundreds of crores to NAFED. He has also been delaying disciplinary proceedings by resorting to litigation and raising technical and procedural issues for ten years.

• B B Rajendra Prasad

The CBI (Visakhapatnam) has registered Prasad on the allegations of obtaining illegal gratification in lieu of passing favourable appeal order and also recovered bribe following which he was suspended. He has also acquired disproportionate assets worth Rs. 2.73 Crores.

• Ajoy Kumar Singh (CIT)

CBI, ACB, had registered a Disproportionate Assets Singh, who was arrested and suspended subsequently. Criminal Prosecution is currently pending against him in the Bombay High Court.

• B Arulappa (CIT)

B. Arulappa has proved to be ineffective as a Supervisory officer as he did not assign important cases having large tax implication to senior and experienced officers which resulted in a loss of Rs 15.69 Crores. 

•  Alok Kumar Mitra

Involved in many cases of corruptions and extortion, passed many wrong and malafide assessment orders which were later on reversed by the appellate authorities and despite several complaints and departmental findings against him he managed to avoid action by filing cases in CAT etc.

• Chander Saini Bharti

He was apprehended by CBI in connection with a trap case and the bribe money of Rs. 30 lakh was recovered from his couriers. He also used hawala channels for transferring the ill-gotten money. Bharti and his wife have amassed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 1,55,16,969 

• Andasu Ravindar 

He was apprehended by CBI with an amount of Rs. 50,00,000 with no explanation of its source. He has used his official position to influence financial dealings and has abused his position in many cases. He has also amassed disproportionate assets worth Rs. 81,01,322

• Vivek Batra

In 2005, this officer has been accused by CBI for abusing of his official position to accumulate assets disproportionate amounting Rs 1.27 Crore. He has also been involved in dubious transactions and has undertaken 10 private foreign visits in the last eight years. He faces serious allegations of destruction of Government Records and has also received a warning to refrain from making false allegations against any officer of the Department in future. He also faces a criminal case regarding forging the Will of Shri Ashok Malik (Father-in-law of Shri Vivek Batra) in collusion with his wife Ms Priyanka Batra.

• Swetabh Suman (CIT)

This officer was arrested by CBI in  2018 for allegedly demanding Rs 50 lakh for giving relief to a  shell company matter to a businessman. He has also amassed disproportionate assets crore to Rs. 3,13,90,408 which triggered criminal proceedings against him, resulting in a jail sentence of seven years with a fine of Rs.3.5 crores. Assessments and approval of funds done by him were found to have irregularities, while the CCIT, Dehradun had also lodged a complaint with the Police  regarding theft Income Tax files 

• Ram Kumar Bhargava

Ram Kumar Bhargava, while holding the charge of TRO-4, Kanpur, initiated recovery proceedings against Ms Vaijanti Gupta without jurisdiction and is alleged to have attached the housing loan account of Jitendra Shaw - a sundry debtor of Gupta.