Bhubaneswar: In a major crackdown, the Odisha Vigilance Department raided five locations linked to Binay Bhusan Tripathy, Assistant Commissioner CT & GST Enforcement Unit, Jajpur on allegations of bribery, tax evasion, and misappropriation of funds.
According to sources, Tripathy, during his incumbency as Assistant Commissioner of CT & GST Enforcement Unit, had intercepted a vehicle carrying MS Scrap worth Rs 8.89 lakh on May 7, 2024.
Instead of following proper procedures, Tripathy contacted the owner of the seized goods and demanded a payment of Rs 3.20 lakh as tax, in addition to a bribe of Rs 2.50 lakh to release the vehicle and material. When the owner failed to meet the bribe demand, Tripathy allegedly sold the entire consignment of scrap to another dealer, pocketing the tax amount and misappropriating the remaining sum of Rs 5.85 lakh in a clear violation of GST laws and ethical standards.
The Vigilance department has launched a probe into the allegations and launched massive searches at Tripathy’s government quarter, paternal house, farmhouse, flat, and village residence.
A team of seven Deputy Superintendents of Police, 14 Inspectors, and 25 other staff are involved in the searches, which are still ongoing.
The investigation has also revealed that Tripathy may have collected huge bribes from various transporters and suppliers on grounds of tax evasion.
