CBI books Hyderabad I-T officer in Rs. 1. 15 Cr disproportionate asset case

Hyderabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has booked a Hyderabad-based Income Tax officer in a Rs. 1. 15 crore disproportionate asset case (illegal wealth). Investigation revealed that in a span of 12 years, the officer's assets grew by 106.15 %.

A criminal case has been registered against Thota Purushotham Rao, an I-T inspector in the office of the principal director of Income Tax Hyderabad, and his wife Thota Sowbhayga Lakshmi. They are residents of Shaikpet.

Thota Purushothama Rao joined the IT department in May 1991as a contingent employee. His total assets (movable and immovable) then were worth Rs. 86, 896. Four years later he became a regular employee, a Group D officer, and was later promoted to a tax assistant. Between 2013 and 2015, he served as an Income Tax inspector in Hyderabad and Vikarabad. An inspection of his properties revealed that by the end of 2019, Mr. Rao had acquired properties worth Rs. 1. 72 crore.

From owning a plot and 200 gms of gold in 2008, Mr. Rao, through illegal means, acquired plots in Narasapuram, a property in Shaikpet, two four-wheelers, and cash of Rs. 1.72 crore. In 12 years his lawful income also grew to Rs. 1. 8 crore.

The CBI has booked a case under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case against Mr. Rao's wife Sowbhayga was for intentionally abetting her husband by acquiring illegal assets and also for filing Income Tax by showing false income. "Thota Purushotham is prime facie to have intentionally enriched himself illicitly to the tune of Rs. 1.15 crore from 2008 to 2020 which cannot be satisfactorily accounted for," said CBI officials.