Santosh Karnani, Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, was detained on June 2, 2023, by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in Ahmedabad as part of an investigation being carried out in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, into the demand and acceptance of an unfair advantage of Rs. 30 Lacs. The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, was the foundation for the FIR against Santosh Karnani that the CBI, ACB, and Gandhinagar filed.
It was discovered during an investigation conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, that the suspect Santosh Karnani initially demanded and accepted a bribe payment of Rs. 30 Lacs from Rupesh Balvantbhai Brahmbhatt of M/s Safal Constructions Pvt. Ltd. through an Angadia Firm, namely Dhara Angadia. It was further discovered that the stated account kept with the aforementioned Angadia Firm was the subject of many suspicious transactions totalling at least Rs. 4.25 crore in 2021 and 2022.
Santosh Karnani had to be interrogated while in custody in order to uncover the entire scheme and locate and identify the profits of the crime. As a result, ED petitioned the Hon’ble Designated Special PMLA Court, Ahmedabad, seeking permission to question the suspect in custody. The Honourable Court has given ED custody of Santosh Karnani until June 9, 2023. The probe is being expanded upon.
