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CBI set to widen probe into CGST Jhansi bribery case
The investigation has now drawn the attention of the ED, which is likely to initiate a parallel probe into possible money laundering, including suspected investments through cryptocurrency
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to widen its probe into the massive bribery scandal in the Central GST (CGST) department in Jhansi, senior officials of the agency said here on Friday.
Investigators are confident that further examination of digital evidence, financial trails and property investments will expose the entire corruption nexus operating within the department, the CBI officials added.
Following the arrest of CGST deputy commissioner Prabha Bhandari, superintendents Anil Tiwari and Ajay Sharma, advocate Naresh Gupta and owner of Jai Durga Hardware, Raju Mangatani, the agency has unearthed crucial leads indicating the existence of a well-organised syndicate that allegedly extorted bribes from traders to settle tax evasion cases.
The involvement of two other traders – Jai Durga Hardware co-owner Tejpal Mangtani and Jai Ambey Plywood owner Lokesh Tolani – was also alleged in the FIR registered with CBI Anti-Corruption Bureau wing in Lucknow on December 30, 2025 in the matter.
Investigators believe that as financial records, digital evidence and property documents are pieced together, the ongoing probe could expose not just individual wrongdoing but a deep-rooted corruption network within CGST Jhansi, with wider ramifications for tax administration and enforcement practices.
They said WhatsApp chats recovered from Prabha Bhandari’s mobile phone contain conversations allegedly related to illegal monetary transactions, providing investigators with key evidence of coordination among senior officials.
“Call records, audio recordings and other digital data seized from Anil Tiwari’s phone are also being analysed and are expected to shed light on the scale and functioning of the racket,” a senior CBI official said.
He said the preliminary investigation has revealed that a significant portion of the alleged illegal earnings was invested in real estate. During interrogation, the names of more than 15 property dealers have surfaced, prompting the CBI to examine their role in laundering illicit money. Several benami properties linked to the accused have also come under scrutiny.
The investigation has now drawn the attention of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is likely to initiate a parallel probe into possible money laundering, including suspected investments through cryptocurrency. Bank accounts of Anil Tiwari and his family members are under close watch, with people familiar with the matter indicating that a family member’s losses in crypto trading may have been offset using bribe money.
He further said the CBI teams are also examining investments made by the accused in local businesses, including a restaurant in Jhansi. Investigators had earlier conducted discreet verification by visiting the establishment as customers before initiating formal action.
The officials familiar with the probe said the arrested officers allegedly worked in close coordination, systematically targeting traders and pressuring them to pay bribes. The long tenure of some officials in Jhansi is also under scrutiny and the transfer of several CGST staffers posted in the city for extended periods is likely.
