Central Excise Chief Commissioner booked by CBI for bribery

By Vijay Kumar

WE were flooded with calls yesterday evening as the news spread that a lady Chief Commissioner was booked by the CBI.

She is the second senior-most IRS officer in the country having joined the IRS (Customs and Central Excise) in 1979, when she was barely 23. She would have happily retired on 31st of December 2016 as the Chief Commissioner of Central Excise, Chennai holding charge for the entire State of Tamil Nadu. But today, she is an accused in a CBI case and the corruption charge is - taking money from the staff for transfers. It is no secret that 'transfer' is a major commercial activity in the Revenue Department. But what is surprising is that in these days when cash is scarce, people still find hot cash to pay bribes. (CBI is reported to have recovered nearly 5 lakh rupees in this case.) In the cashless society to which we hope to catapult shortly, will the ingenious Indian find ways to pay and receive bribes digitally?

This is perhaps the first time that a very senior Lady Revenue officer is booked by CBI. Generally, the ladies in the IRS are less prone to corruption than their male counterparts, but there are some who have proved that they are no less than the men - even in amassing illegal wealth.

The rumour that Modi will go for another demonetisation makes sense. And maybe this time there should be no exchange and no deposit.