Nagpur: The Nagpur Branch of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has seized cash Rs 13.25 lakh and 40 tola gold coins from the office and residence of Joint Commissioner, Central GST, Mukul Patil along with, details of several properties and a bank locker, during searches after his arrest on Thursday for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 4 lakh. Chartered Accountant Hemant Rajandekar too was arrested along with Patil, according to media reports.
On Friday, Patil and Rajandekar were remanded to CBI custody till March 7 after being produced before the special court. CBI had argued for five days remand. Two diaries with code words have been recovered from the office of Rajandekar at Ajni Square, where the CBI nabbed him red-handed taking the amount on behalf of Patil, said a report. Decoding the contents of the diaries may lead to several other scams in the Central GST office. Rajandekar operated from the premises of VR Inamdar and Company at Ajni Square.
Gold Rate
05 April 2025
The complainant, Jayant Choupane, an electricals trader from Yavatmal, was being allegedly harassed by Patil for a bribe of Rs 4.50 lakh, after serving him show cause and demand notice of tax liability for over Rs 53.66 lakh dating back to 2016-17. A hearing had also taken place before Patil on February 19. Choupane had subsequently lodged a complaint with the CBI, and a trap was laid under the supervision of Senior SP MS Khan, Dy SP Sandeep Chogle and other senior officials. During searches, it’s learnt, CBI also unearthed details of eight properties owned by Patil and some in the names of his family members. Sources said Patil and his family owned properties at Narsala, Isasani and other places.
Sources said CBI has also recovered files and documents related to Choupane’s case from Patil’s office. More files, documents and records of the cases in which Patil and Rajandekar had jointly worked or were currently dealing in have also been recovered.
Several officials of CGST are set to be summoned to the CBI office as details are unearthed in investigations. Sources said CBI is also set to summon other traders whose files were handled by Patil and Rajandekar. More arrests are likely, said a source.
