In a significant ruling, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ahmedabad has sentenced Hashmukh Chhaganbhai Rathod, a former superintendent in the service tax department, to five years of rigorous imprisonment on charges of corruption. The court also imposed a fine of ₹30,000 on Rathod, who served in the Nadiad range.
The case dates back to April 24, 2014, when the Gandhinagar branch of the CBI and the Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a complaint against Rathod. He was accused of demanding a bribe of ₹2,500 to issue a registration certificate to a complainant’s partnership firm. Following negotiations, Rathod agreed to accept ₹2,000. On April 25, 2014, CBI officials laid a trap and caught Rathod red-handed while accepting the bribe. He was immediately arrested.
Subsequently, on August 22, 2014, a charge sheet was filed against Rathod for demanding and accepting illegal gratification and for criminal misconduct. After a thorough trial, the special CBI court found Rathod guilty and handed down the sentence.
This case underscores the CBI’s commitment to rooting out corruption within government departments and holding officials accountable for their actions. The sentence serves as a stern reminder to public servants about the consequences of engaging in corrupt practices.
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