Bengaluru: A Central GST superintendent and an alleged private mediator were caught in a Bengaluru Lokayukta trap on Thursday in connection with an alleged ₹8-lakh bribe demand to close a GST-related complaint against a taxpayer, with the alleged acceptance taking place inside the superintendent’s chamber at Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala.
The case puts the focus not merely on the amount allegedly demanded but on the purpose for which the money was sought: according to information from the Lokayukta, the ₹8 lakh was allegedly demanded in connection with closing what the complainant described as a false complaint concerning a pending Central GST matter.
The Lokayukta identified the first accused as Mohit Pratap Singh, Superintendent, Central GST, South Division-4, A-Range, South Commissionerate. The second accused was identified as Salman Sheikh, a private person who allegedly acted as a mediator.
A Bengaluru City Lokayukta team laid the trap in Crime No. 47/2026. The case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, according to the information shared by the Lokayukta.
The complainant/victim was identified as Syed Zameer. According to the Lokayukta account, the alleged demand related to a pending Central GST matter and an assurance to close the complaint against him.
The alleged bribe acceptance took place in the chamber of the Central GST superintendent at Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, according to the Lokayukta information.
Contemporary reports independently confirm that Lokayukta police apprehended a Central GST official and an alleged middleman in Bengaluru in an ₹8-lakh bribery case on September 17. One report identified the official as Mohit Pratap Singh and the alleged middleman as Salman Sheik, and said they were apprehended on the GST office premises.
The Central GST Bengaluru Zone is the jurisdictional Central Tax authority administering GST and other specified indirect tax laws in Karnataka. Its official organisational information shows that the Bengaluru Central Tax Zone comprises eight executive commissionerates, apart from audit and appeals commissionerates.
The Lokayukta operation was carried out by a Bengaluru City team, with Police Inspector Vijaya Krishna named as the investigating officer.
According to the information provided by the Lokayukta, the operation and investigation were supervised by DSP Bharat Reddy, DSP Thippeswamy and DSP Anil Kumar, with Police Inspectors Shankrappa and Chidananda Murthy and other team members involved.
The allegations remain under investigation. The trap and registration of the case do not constitute a finding of guilt against either accused, and the allegations will be subject to investigation and further proceedings under law.
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