Berhampur: A team of sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) caught a superintendent of Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) red-handed for accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000, today. Later, the CGST superintendent was arrested by the CBI team.

The CGST official was identified as Manoj Kumar Subudhi, presently working in Berhampur division at 5th Lane of Ananta Nagar locality of the city in Ganjam district.

“I had a TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) refund of Rs 1,77,000. The superintendent had frequently been calling me over my mobile phone and was demanding a bribe of Rs 20,000 to release the amount. Finding no other way, I contacted the CBI in Bhubaneswar seeking help in this regard. As per a previous deal and as part payment of it, I gave him Rs 15,000 leading to his arrest,” the complainant said.

“I am a mechanical engineer, and being an unemployed youth, I have been working as a contractor. I became perturbed when the CGST official demanded a bribe from me,” the complainant stated.

“Acting on my complaint, a 15-member team laid a trap and the superintendent was caught red-handed. The sleuths seized several important documents from his office following a thorough search,” the contractor added.

The search operation was underway till the time when this report was filed.