Full Breakdown
Bengaluru GST Superintendent Arrested in Bribe Trap
By Drooid · · How we work
Bribe Trap Operation
Lokayukta police in Bengaluru staged a trap that resulted in the arrest of Central GST Superintendent Mohit Pratap Singh. Acting on a complaint from a businessman involved in the iron trade, officers arranged for the official to receive cash through a middleman, Salman Sheik. Singh had allegedly demanded a bribe of INR20 lakh to close a tax-evasion case that the businessman claimed was false. During the operation, Singh accepted INR8 lakh, which was handed to Sheik near Singh’s chamber at Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala. Both men were taken into judicial custody at Bengaluru Central Prison.
Background and Context
The businessman approached the Lokayukta after alleging that the complaint against him for tax evasion was unfounded. He then lodged a formal complaint against Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act, prompting the anti-corruption unit to devise the sting. The case concerns pending Central GST dues and the alleged misuse of authority to settle a false complaint.
Key Figures
- Mohit Pratap Singh – Superintendent, Central GST, South Division-4, South Commissionerate; accused of demanding a bribe to close a tax case.
- Salman Sheik – Identified by police as the middleman who received the cash on Singh’s behalf; also arrested.
- Unnamed businessman – Iron-materials trader who reported the alleged demand and cooperated with the Lokayukta’s operation.
Official Statements & Responses
Police described the operation as a “planned trap” in which the cash was handed to Sheik while Singh was inside his office. The Lokayukta confirmed that a case has been registered under Section 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018), and that investigations are ongoing.
Data and Statistics
- Alleged bribe demand: INR20 lakh.
- Amount actually handed over: INR8 lakh.
- Both accused placed in judicial custody pending further legal proceedings.