TIRUCHY: Following the arrest of three IRS officials for demanding bribe, CBI sleuths searched the house of the GST deputy commissioner in Thanjavur on Wednesday.

On October 24, Karthik, a transport businessman from Madurai, was approached by Madurai region GST superintendents Ashok and Rajbir Singh Rana for evading a tax of Rs 1.50 crore for the construction of his house. He offered his explanation to GST deputy commissioner Saravana Kumar, who demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to alter the GST amount.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, Karthik lodged a complaint with the CBI and Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC).

A criminal case was registered by the CBI under Sections 61 (2) BNS 2023 and Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act against those three and Sameer Gautam, Inspector, CGST.

Co-ordinating with the sleuths, Karthik paid Ashok and Rajbir Singh Rana Rs 3.50 lakh on Tuesday late evening, leading to the officials being caught red-handed.

The duo confessed that they were receiving the bribe on behalf of Saravana Kumar.

In the aftermath of the arrest, the CBI team under DSP Dhandayuthapani searched Saravana Kumar’s house. The search began around 2 pm and lasted for four hours. The team seized a few documents, but no further information was released.