A chartered accountant from Ludhiana, was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) for accepting a bribe of Rs. 26 lakh from an individual in the name of income tax officers based in Chandigarh. The VB spokesperson stated that Ankush Sareen, who practices privately, has been charged following an investigation into an online complaint filed at the chief minister’s anti-corruption action line.
The complainant, Parminder Singh Sidhu from Malsian village, Ludhiana district, alleged that the Chartered Accountant received two payments to the tune of Rs. 26 lakh in exchange for bribing the income tax officers. The bribe was supposed to settle a notice served to Sidhu’s relatives residing in the USA regarding an income tax return.
On January 15, Sidhu gave Ankush Sareen, the Chartered Accountant, Rs. 25 lakh in cash at his residence and recorded the transaction. Sareen obtained an additional Rs. 1 lakh from Sidhu on January 26, claiming that it was for the “junior officers of income tax department“, as per the reports.
After an inquiry by the Income Tax department, Sidhu discovered that the notice had not been resolved, and he realized that the Chartered Accountant had fraudulently taken a bribe by threatening him with heavy penalties. When Sidhu asked the CA to return his money, the Chartered Accountant allegedly refused.
The VB unit of Ludhiana range investigated the allegations in the complaint and found Sareen guilty of accepting a bribe. A corruption case was registered against him at the VB police station in Ludhiana, and further investigation was ongoing.
“Vigilance Bureau, Punjab registers complaints, Vigilance Enquiries, Cases (FIRs) on allegations of corruption and enquire/investigate the same. We are committed to conduct enquiries/ investigations strictly in accordance with law and ensure appropriate action against the corrupt public servants. Let us all fight together against corruption and weed out the same from public life. Let us make sincere efforts to realize the dream of corruption free Punjab”, the Chief Director of the Vigilance Bureau of Punjab stated.
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