In a significant crackdown on corruption within the revenue services, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested 2007-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Amit Kumar Singhal, currently serving as Additional Director General at the Directorate of Taxpayer Services, New Delhi. He, along with his close aide Harsh Kotak, was taken into custody over the weekend for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹45 lakh from a complainant.
The CBI stated that during the investigation, searches were carried out at multiple premises linked to the officer and his associate, leading to the seizure of approximately ₹1 crore in cash, 3.5 kilograms of gold, 2 kilograms of silver, and a host of incriminating documents. The value of the recovered gold and silver is estimated to be around ₹3.5 crore.
The probe revealed that the accused officer allegedly sought the bribe in return for offering favorable treatment from the Revenue or Income Tax Department. The complainant, who approached the authorities, was allegedly threatened with legal action, heavy penalties, and continuous harassment in case of non-compliance.
Acting swiftly, the CBI laid a trap and caught Harsh Kotak red-handed while accepting ₹25 lakh on behalf of Amit Kumar Singhal at a residence in Mohali. Following this, Singhal was apprehended from his home in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
What the agency uncovered during subsequent raids shocked even seasoned investigators. Apart from ₹1 crore in cash, the CBI recovered 3.5 kg of gold, 2 kg of silver, diamonds, pearls, and other precious stones. Documents related to immovable properties in multiple cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Punjab, were also found. Perhaps even more telling was the discovery of 25 different bank accounts with significant transactions, indicating a deeper web of financial irregularities.
According to sources, Amit Kumar Singhal’s assets span multiple cities and may be worth several crores. Officials are now scrutinizing these properties to determine whether they were acquired through legitimate income. The trail of transactions and assets suggests the possibility of a broader network, and the investigation is expected to widen.
Both Amit Kumar Singhal and Kotak were produced before a special court in Chandigarh, which remanded them to 14-day judicial custody. CBI officials confirmed that the investigation is far from over, and more names—possibly of senior officials or business entities—may emerge as the financial trail is analyzed.
This operation marks one of the most high-profile anti-corruption actions in recent months and underscores the CBI’s intensified focus on rooting out graft within the administrative machinery.