CBI book former additional IT commissioner in another case

Ahmedabad: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a new corruption case against Santosh Karnani, a former additional commissioner of income tax. It is alleged that he shared confidential information with a builder to help them win a case at the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in exchange for acquiring land at a significantly reduced price.

The CBI obtained information about this act through a forensic examination of Karnani’s two phones, which the agency retrieved from the Sabarmati River after six months of efforts using advanced sonar technology.

The CBI uncovered several WhatsApp exchanges between Karnani and Ilesh Kumar Shah, the Director of Shree Kanhai Realty Pvt Ltd. These exchanges indicated discussions about a deal involving 2,428 square meters of land registered in the name of Karnani’s wife, Arti Karnani. The FIR alleged that Santosh Karnani had acquired this land for a sale price of Rs 40 lakhs, while the market value, as stated by one of the directors of Kanhai Realty Pvt Ltd, was Rs 3.5 crore.

The phone records indicated that Shah had shared a notice issued by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, which was already time-barred by five days. Shah also requested Karnani to consult with his lawyer ahead of the ITAT hearing, to which Karnani had responded, “spoken.”

The FIR stated that Santosh Karnani not only provided personal advice to Illesh Shah but also interacted with the advocate and briefed him on the case’s shortcomings, resulting in the Income Tax Department losing the case in the ITAT. It also alleges that Shah had transferred 2,428 square meters of land valued at Rs 3.50 crore to Arti Karnani for Rs 40 lakh.

The CBI had previously filed a charge sheet against Karnani in a case involving alleged bribery amounting to Rs 30 lakhs. DeshGujarat