7 Haryana officials among 8 booked for running extortion racket
Reportedly took money from transporters in name of hefty fines
The Chief Minister Flying Squad has unearthed a racket allegedly involved in extorting money from transporters and courier vehicle owners. The team arrested an accused last night for reportedly conniving with Excise and Taxation Department officials.
The police have also registered a case against seven officials of the Sales Tax Department posted in Panipat, Jagadhari, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Panchkula.
The arrested accused has been identified as Manmohit of Binjhol village, who was running courier service vehicles. The squad also seized a fake identity card of the Excise and Taxation Department, in which he posed as an inspector.
SI Raj Singh, with the local flying squad, said in a police complaint that he received a tipoff that Manmohit had links with officials in various districts and seized vehicles of other transporters for tax evasion. He allegedly extorted money from them in the name of hefty fines.
During preliminary investigation, the accused revealed that they would seize vehicles of transporters for tax evasion, and would take a huge amount of money from them in the name of penalty. After showing less tax in documents, they divided the extra money.
The accused also disclosed the names of the officials and claimed that he gave them money in cash. He revealed that he got the fake ID card made from a CSC centre at his village, and the chats and call records with the officials were available on his mobile phones.
Those booked include a Sales Inspector from Panipat, ETO Hanslal, and inspectors Virender (Jagadhari), Pawan (Karnal), Rakesh (Kurukshetra) and Ajay (Panchkula).
