Hyderabad: Two senior income-tax officers from the Telugu-speaking states have been forced to retire before their superannuation, as they are facing corruption charges.
The two are among the 15 I-T officials, holding high ranks in the Central Board for Direct Taxes (CBDT) who have been ordered to resign.
One of the two officials, assistant commissioner K. Jayaprakash, had been arrested for demanding a bribe when he was deputy commissioner at Karimnagar. The CBI had seized Rs 24.60 lakh from his conduit. He was allegedly found using the services of an auditor, N. Shivakumar, for collecting bribes on his behalf.
The second officer, additional commissioner Appala Raju from AP, allegedly acquired assets worth `60 lakh that were disproportionate to his income, the CBI said.
Investigation found that Raju neither obtained permission for the transaction of movable and immovable properties he entered into nor did he furnish intimation regarding these transactions. This is in violation of provisions of CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964, according to the I-Tax Act.
On September 27, the Central Board of Direct Taxes ordered compulsory retirement for 15 senior officers including principal commissioners, under Fundamental Rule 56 (J), due to corruption and other charges and CBI traps.
The CBDT thus far has ordered compulsory retirement of 49 high-ranking tax officers, including 12 officers from the CBDT itself.
