A Bengaluru tax official facing extortion and kidnapping charges has been dismissed from service. Twenty-nine-year-old Sonali Sahay, an Inspector posted with the Bengaluru South Commissionerate, along with three others, is accused of kidnapping and holding to ransom four businessmen from Bengaluru.
A detailed review of the material available, including the FIR, the report of the investigation officer, the remand application, and the proceedings of the Magistrate’s court, clearly indicates that Sonali Sahay, along with other officers, subjected the employees of M/s Mexo Solutions to terror, threats, and intimidation, the dismissal order from the office of the Commissioner of Central Tax, Bengaluru South Commissionerate said.
Sonali Sahay, who was posted as Intelligence Officer then, along with three other GST officials, Abhishek Kumar, Superintendent of Central Tax, South Commissionerate, Bengaluru Zone, and senior intelligence officers Manoj Saini and Nagesh Babu from GST Intelligence, Bengaluru Zone, is accused of kidnapping Keshav Tak, a businessman, and his three associates of Mexo Solutions in August 2024, confining them illegally, and extorting money from them for their release. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 3 crore as ransom and were paid Rs 1.5 crore.
They had entered Keshav’s house in GM Palya and allegedly conducted an illegal raid on August 30, claiming they were officials from the Enforcement Directorate and Goods and Service Tax and kidnapped Keshav Tak. A case was registered with the Byappanahalli police, and it was transferred to the Central Crime Branch (CCB) later.
Explaining reasons for the dismissal, the order said, “The officer, along with her three accomplices, has indulged in a criminal act with the intention of extorting money from the taxpayer on the pretext of booking a case against him. She, along with her accomplices, has impersonated themselves as ED and GST officers on duty and kidnapped the victims, assaulted them, and pressurised them to fulfil the demand of ransom money. The act of moral turpitude of this degree and nature' where a government servant stoops to such an extent of criminal act for her pecuniary interest terrorises the public, undermines the sanctity and authority of the Central Tax Department as an institution, and creates an atmosphere of mistrust between the government and the taxpayer… continuing such corrupt, unfaithful, and criminal-minded officers in government service is detrimental to the public image and will send a wrong message to the taxpayers and the public at large, who are fearful and filled with disbelief as a consequence of such an incident.”