CBI arrests two GST officials, aide in ₹40 lakh bribe case in Maharashtra
Synopsis
A CBI trap operation in Raigad, Maharashtra, has snared a senior IRS officer — Additional Commissioner of CGST Vinay Kumar Kantheti — along with a Superintendent and a private aide, after a ₹1.50 crore demand was negotiated down to ₹40 lakh by the accused. Searches at their premises then turned up ₹43 lakh in cash and ₹90 lakh in jewellery, signalling the probe may go much deeper.
Key Takeaways
The CBI arrested Vinay Kumar Kantheti (Additional Commissioner, CGST, IRS 2009 batch), Rakesh Kumar Sinha (Superintendent, GST), and private individual Narinder Rajput on 28 August in Raigad, Maharashtra .
The original bribe demand was ₹1.50 crore ; after negotiation it was reduced to ₹40 lakh , which Rajput was caught accepting red-handed.
Searches at the accused's premises recovered ₹43 lakh in cash and jewellery worth ₹90 lakh .
The case was registered on 26 August after a complainant flagged demands related to a stone-quarrying firm's GST and royalty matter.
In a separate action, the CBI also arrested two BSNL Bhopal engineers for demanding ₹2 lakh each in bribes; they were caught accepting ₹75,000 each .
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, 28 August arrested two senior Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) officers and a private intermediary in Raigad district, Maharashtra, in connection with a ₹40 lakh bribery case linked to a stone-quarrying firm's GST and royalty dispute. The arrests mark one of the more significant anti-corruption actions against serving Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers in recent months.
The Accused and the Allegations
Vinay Kumar Kantheti, Additional Commissioner of GST (IRS, 2009 batch), Rakesh Kumar Sinha, Superintendent of GST, and private individual Narinder Rajput were taken into custody following a CBI trap operation. The agency had registered the case on 26 August after a complainant alleged that Sinha had initially demanded ₹1.50 crore to settle the GST and royalty matter relating to the complainant's stone-quarrying business. After negotiations, the demand was reportedly brought down to ₹40 lakh.
How the Trap Was Laid
According to the CBI, the two public servants arranged for the bribe to be collected through Rajput, directing the complainant to deal with him directly. The agency then set a trap and caught Rajput red-handed while he was accepting the ₹40 lakh on their behalf. The CBI said the acceptance of the bribe amount was subsequently acknowledged by both Kantheti and Sinha.
Searches Yield Additional Recoveries
Searches conducted at the premises of all three accused yielded significant additional findings. The CBI recovered cash amounting to ₹43 lakh and jewellery worth ₹90 lakh from the premises — amounts that investigators will now examine as part of the broader probe. All three have been produced before the competent court.
Separate BSNL Bribery Case in Bhopal
In a separate action on the same day, the CBI arrested the Chief Engineer (Electrical) and Superintending Engineer (Electrical) of BSNL, Bhopal, in a ₹75,000 bribery case. According to the CBI, both officers had demanded ₹2 lakh each from a Jabalpur-based firm that executed Operation and Comprehensive Maintenance (OCM) and electrical installation work for BSNL, ostensibly to process the firm's pending bills across 14 different works. The CBI caught both officers red-handed accepting ₹75,000 each as part payment. Searches were subsequently carried out at residential and office premises in Bhopal, Lucknow, and Kanpur.
What Happens Next
All accused persons are being produced before their respective competent courts. The recoveries of unaccounted cash and jewellery from the CGST officers' premises suggest the investigation may widen. This comes amid a broader CBI push against corruption in tax and public-sector bodies, with multiple trap operations conducted in recent weeks across states.
Point of View
And the recoveries of ₹43 lakh cash and ₹90 lakh jewellery suggest this may be more than an isolated transaction. What is notable is the mechanics: the demand started at ₹1.50 crore and was 'negotiated' down to ₹40 lakh, indicating a structured, transactional relationship rather than an opportunistic ask. The CBI conducting simultaneous trap operations against CGST officers in Maharashtra and BSNL engineers in Bhopal on the same day points to a coordinated enforcement push — one that raises the question of whether these are isolated bad actors or symptoms of systemic rent-seeking in GST settlement and public-sector billing processes.
NationPress
28 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were arrested by the CBI in the Maharashtra GST bribery case?
The CBI arrested Vinay Kumar Kantheti, Additional Commissioner of CGST (IRS, 2009 batch), Rakesh Kumar Sinha, Superintendent of GST, and private individual Narinder Rajput on 28 August in Raigad district, Maharashtra. All three have been produced before the competent court.
What was the bribe demanded in the CGST case?
According to the CBI, Superintendent Rakesh Kumar Sinha initially demanded ₹1.50 crore to settle a GST and royalty matter for a stone-quarrying firm. After negotiation, the demand was reduced to ₹40 lakh, which the CBI used as the basis for its trap operation.
What was recovered during searches after the arrests?
Searches at the premises of the three accused yielded ₹43 lakh in cash and jewellery worth ₹90 lakh, according to the CBI. These recoveries are expected to form part of the wider investigation.
What is the separate BSNL bribery case the CBI also acted on?
On the same day, the CBI arrested the Chief Engineer (Electrical) and Superintending Engineer (Electrical) of BSNL Bhopal for demanding ₹2 lakh each from a Jabalpur-based contractor to process pending bills for 14 works. Both were caught red-handed accepting ₹75,000 each as part payment.
Why does the CGST bribery case matter?
The case involves a senior IRS officer of the 2009 batch, making it one of the more significant anti-corruption actions in the GST administration in recent times. The additional recovery of unaccounted cash and jewellery suggests the investigation could widen beyond the initial ₹40 lakh transaction.
