ED May Act Against Lavidiya

Hyderabad: After the CBI’s action against Hyderabad income-tax commissioner Jeevan Lal Lavidiya for accepting a bribe, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials are likely to initiate action against him for money-laundering. CBI officials were also focused on tracking his hawala transactions.

Lavidiya is commissioner of income-tax (exemptions) Appeals Unit 7 and 8 at the office of the principal chief commissioner of income-tax, Hyderabad.

The CBI officials, who registered cases against 14 persons including Lavadiya, identified Natta Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopal, of Viskhakapatnam; Sairam Palisetty, Srikakulam; Rayapureddy Narendra, accountant, Hyderabad; Dandela Venkateswarlu, Khammam district; and Landa Varahalu, Visakhapatnam, helped the accused officer in bribe taking and receiving cash by hawala.

CBI officials intensified the probe after they obtained the leads in connection with the alleged corruption by the income tax commissioner.

While dealing with the appeals of Ventura Securities, Thane, and Anandrao Shitole, Mumbai, Lavidiya had obtained Rs 20 lakh and

Rs 15 lakh respectively as bribes through his middlemen from these two firms. The bribe was collected by the middlemen and was routed through the bank accounts of Landa Varahalau of Visakhapatnam and through hawala channels.

The CBI is also probing the case following the inputs that while the appeal of Hemantkumar Rajendrakumar Shah, Ahmedabad, Jeevan Lal Ladiviya through his middlemen had obtained Rs 15 lakh as bribe to decide the appeal in favour of the firm. The bribe money again was routed through the bank accounts of Landa Varahalau and through hawala channels by Nata Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopas.

Sources said that the CBI officials had focused on the accused officer, who obtained links of hawala channels to commit transportation of bribed money to different places. The CBI is likely to take police custody of the accused officer and others to question them in connection with the offences.