GST official of Hubballi caught taking ₹6 lakh bribe by Karnataka Lokayukta

Officials of the Karnataka Lokayukta caught a senior Commercial Tax officer red-handed while allegedly taking a bribe of ₹6 lakh from a businessman.

According to officials, the complainant, Vishwajeet Nayak (53), is a resident of Jayanagar. He had approached the Lokayukta alleging that a GST officer had demanded a bribe to clear a pending tax-related matter.

The accused officer, Bharath Kumar Hegde (48), serving as Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (GST) in Hubballi, had allegedly demanded ₹10 lakh to settle an adjudication related to an inspection report, which had flagged tax evasion of approximately ₹60 lakh. The bribe was later negotiated down to ₹6 lakh.

Acting on the complaint, Lokayukta officials apprehended Hegde while he was allegedly taking the bribe amount. Hegde has been arrested.