New Delhi: A personal assistant of Union minister of
state for finance Gingee N Ramachandran was arrested by
the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while accepting
a bribe from a senior Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer
here.
Official
sources say R Perumalswamy, PA to the minister, was caught
while accepting Rs 4 lakh from an IRS officer, Anurag
Vardhan, for facilitating a posting of his choice. Vardhan,
a deputy commissioner posted in New Delhi, was also arrested
by the CBI for giving the bribe.
In
a swift move following the event, the finance ministry
immediately put on hold the transfer orders involving
54 deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners of
income tax which were issued on 21 May 2003.
The
sources say Vardhan struck a deal with a Chennai-based
chartered accountant, Krishnamurthy, according to which
he would pay Rs 5 lakh to a tout in the finance ministry.
In return, Krishnamurthy would facilitate the transfer
of the IRS officer to Mumbai.
The
sources add that Vardhan's name was on the transfer list
of officers issued by the IT department last evening.
The tout was to collect Rs 4 lakh as part payment for
the deal from Vardhan's residence in Delhi. The residence
was kept under surveillance, and investigation showed
that the tout was the first PA to Ramachandran, who belongs
to the MDMK, a constituent of the ruling NDA coalition.
Searches
were conducted at the office and residence of Perumalswami,
Vardhan and Krishnamurthy. The CBI claimed it had seized
Rs 3.05 lakh from Vardhan's house, and Rs 69 lakh and
blank cheques for Rs 85 lakh from the residence of Krishnamurthy.
It
is also learnt that Ramachandran is likely to resign in
the wake of the arrest of his personal assistant. The
sources say the minister is expected to put in his papers
shortly after it was considered at the highest levels
that his continuance in the government has become untenable
in the wake of CBI action.
Earlier
in the day, Ramachandran while speaking to reporters on
his return from Chennai, said he has no intention to resign
from his post as his "conscience is clear."
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