GIRIDIH – Panic gripped the Central GST office near Bajrang Chowk in Giridih on Wednesday after a CBI team from Dhanbad carried out a sudden raid and arrested two officials in an alleged bribery case. The CBI took Central GST Superintendent Budheshwar Sundi and Inspector Birju Kumar into custody over accusations of accepting bribes. The action reportedly created chaos inside the office premises.
According to reports, the operation was initiated following a complaint filed by Raju Ansari, a resident of Khakhipipar in Birni block. Ansari alleged that in 2023 his chartered accountant Anish Kumar Seth conspired with GST officials and got notices issued claiming that he had pending GST dues of Rs 95 lakh. After receiving notices repeatedly, Ansari suspected foul play and visited the GST office to gather information.
Ansari further alleged that officials demanded a bribe from him in exchange for settling the matter. He later approached the CBI office in Dhanbad and lodged a formal complaint. Following the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and reportedly negotiated the alleged bribe amount down to Rs 65,000.
As part of the operation, Raju Ansari reached the Central GST office in Giridih on Wednesday carrying Rs 50,000. It is alleged that instead of accepting the money directly, the officials arranged for it to be collected through another person and sent to Superintendent Budheshwar Sundi’s residence. The complainant had already informed the CBI team about the arrangement.
After this, a CBI team led by Inspector Raghunath Kumar raided the office at around 11 am. Officials were subjected to intense questioning during the raid, which reportedly continued for nearly 13 hours. Sources claimed that during interrogation, the alleged bribe amount was also recovered from the superintendent’s residence.
The CBI action has raised serious questions over the functioning of the GST department. Several documents were also examined during the late-night operation. CBI officials said the investigation is ongoing and the role of other individuals connected to the case is also being examined.
The high-profile raid has sparked widespread discussion about corruption in government departments. Local residents believe that if the investigation proceeds fairly, more major revelations could emerge in the coming days.
