Disproportionate assets: Former I-T officer gets 3-year RI

Mumbai, February 24

A special CBI court here has sentenced a retired Income Tax inspector to three years’ rigorous imprisonment for acquiring assets worth Rs 59.89 lakh which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

After pronouncing the order on Tuesday, Special Judge AS Sayyad suspended it four weeks to allow the accused, Leeladhar Bangera, 67, to approach high court to challenge the verdict.

The court found the accused guilty under Indian Penal Code Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Besides the sentence, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 16,000 on the accused.

It also ordered to recover the amount of disproportionate assets from his movable and immovable properties.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered the case on October 7, 2011 against Bangera and his wife for acquiring assets disproportionate to their known sources of income between January 2007 and March 2010.

Bangera joined the Income Tax department in September 1976 as a stenographer. He was promoted as an I-T inspector in April 2005.

His wife worked with the Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation Limited.

During their service, the duo acquired assets worth Rs 77.21 lakh against their income of Rs 17.2 lakh.

The prosecution alleged that they had disproportionate assets worth Rs 59.89 lakh.

During the course of trial, Bangera’s wife died in November 2016 and the case against her was abated. — PTI