Cuttack, Aug 17: On the allegation of causing loss to the Government in the disposal of a vehicle (OD-04-L-2233) carrying MS Scrap goods illegally without collecting taxes and penalty to the tune of Rs.5,85,356 by Binay Bhusan Tripathy, CT & GST officer, CT & GST Enforcement Unit, Jajpur Road, Jajpur, a verification was conducted by Vigilance, Cuttack Division. 

The verification revealed that, during Tripathy's incumbency as Assistant Commissioner of CT & GST Enforcement Unit, Jajpur Road, Jajpur, on 07.05.2024 at 01 PM, Tripathy intercepted the above vehicle carrying MS Scrap weighing about 22,240 Kg of worth Rs.8,89,600 at Revena, Jajpur.

In this connection,  Tripathy contacted the owner of the goods, and asked him to deposit Rs.3,20,000 in the Cash Ledger as Tax and further demanded Rs 2,50,000 towards illegal gratification in order to release his vehicle and material. 

However, when the bribe demand was not met, in contravention to the Laws of GST,  Tripathy, with an ulterior motive, illegally sold the entire scrap to another scrap dealer, and realized the tax and  misappropriated the balance amount Rs.5,85,356.00 (approx).
This apart, Tripathy is alleged to have similarly collected huge bribe amounts from various transporters/suppliers on grounds of evasion of taxes. 

In this connection, Vigilance sleuths started conducting searches on the houses and other establishments of Tripathy at the following five places. 

1.    His Government quarter no. IV-R-10/3, Unit-2, Bhubaneswar.
2.    Paternal house located at village Padmapur, Nirakarpur, Dist. Khordha. 
3.    Farmhouse under construction at Padmapur, PS. Nirakarpur.
4.    Flat no.201, Krushnapriya Apartment Uttara Munda Muhana,Barmunda Bhubaneswar of Sri Tripathi.
5.    Vill. Jadupur, Patakura, Kendrapara. 

As many as seven Deputy SPs, 14 Inspectors, and 25 more staff were engaged in the searches. 

Read More Odisha News