Vigilance Files Case Against Former Tax Officer After Detecting ₹23.46 Lakh Disproportionate Assets
Preliminary probe revealed assets worth ₹76 lakh, of which ₹23.46 lakh exceeded his known income.
The vigilance and anti corruption burea (VACB), Ernakulam special cell, has filed a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against Balagopal MG (48), a former state tax officer attached to the Mattanchery Additional Commissioner of the state audit office.
Balagopal, a resident of Changamuuzha Samadhi Road, Edappally, came under the scanner following a preliminary inquiry into alleged asset accumulation during his tenure in the GST department.
The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, is aimed at combating corruption among public servants by penalising bribery, criminal misconduct, and misuse of authority. It applies on full nation, covering government employees and those who perform public duties. The CentralBureau of Investigation (CBI) and state anti-corruption bureaus (ACB) are authorised to investigate offences.
Investigators found that he had acquired assets worth ₹76,03,627, including movable and immovable properties, and of this asset, ₹23,46,652 were deemed disproportionate to his legitimate or known source of income.
In the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, the provisions regarding assets disproportionate to known sources of income are primarily covered under Section 13
13. Criminal misconduct by a public servant.—1 [(1) A public servant is said to commit the offence of criminal misconduct,—
(a) if he dishonestly or fraudulently misappropriates or otherwise converts for his own use any property entrusted to him or any property under his control as a public servant or allows any other person so to do; or
(b) if he intentionally enriches himself illicitly during the period of his office.
Explanation 1.—A person shall be presumed to have intentionally enriched himself illicitly if he or any person on his behalf is in possession of or has, at any time during the period of his office, been in possession of pecuniary resources or property disproportionate to his known sources of income which the public servant cannot satisfactorily account for.
Explanation 2.—The expression ‘‘known sources of income’’ means income received from any lawful sources.]
(2) Any public servant who commits criminal misconduct shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall be not less than 2 [four years] but which may extend to 3 [ten years] and shall also be liable to fine
Based on these findings, VACB filed a case and searched the current residence in Marine Drive and at his Edappally home simultaneously on Wednesday
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