In a major anti-corruption operation, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Jeevan Lal Lavidiya, a 2004-batch IRS officer and Commissioner of Income Tax (Exemptions), Hyderabad, for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore bribery racket. The scandal involves benami property holdings, hawala transactions, and manipulation of tax appeal verdicts.
Lavidiya was taken into custody alongside four others:
Viral Kantilal Mehta, Deputy GM (Taxation), Shapoorji Pallonji Group
Sairam Palisetty, Srikakulam
Natta Veera Naga Sri Ram Gopal, Visakhapatnam
Sajida Majhar Hussain Shah, Mumbai
According to the CBI FIR, Lavidiya allegedly orchestrated a widespread bribery scheme, soliciting payments through intermediaries in exchange for favorable tax appeal rulings. A luxury flat in Mumbai worth ₹2.5 crore, registered under the benami name Dandela Venkateswarlu from Khammam, was reportedly accepted as a bribe and traced back to NDW Development Corporation LLP via Aviation Hotels—allegedly tied to a pending appeal Lavidiya was adjudicating.
The FIR reveals that while holding additional charge of Appeals Units 7 and 8, Lavidiya worked with a network of middlemen, including chartered accountant Rayapureddy Narendra and others operating across Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, to demand and collect bribes from companies with tax disputes.
One of the biggest transactions involved the Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which allegedly sanctioned a ₹1.2 crore bribe. Of this, ₹15 lakh had already been delivered, while ₹70 lakh was in transit at the time of Lavidiya’s arrest. The CBI states that Lavidiya directed his team to issue favorable rulings once the payment was fully received.
Additional bribes include:
₹20 lakh from Ventura Securities, Thane
₹15 lakh from Mumbai-based businessman Nitin Anandrao Shitole
₹15 lakh allegedly routed by Hemantkumar Rajendrakumar Shah from Ahmedabad
These funds were reportedly funneled through hawala networks and accounts linked to Landa Varahalau in Visakhapatnam.
The case has been filed under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR names 15 individuals and corporate entities across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Thane, Visakhapatnam, and Ahmedabad.
The investigation is being led by Inspector Shakti Kumar of the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch, which believes the arrests are a major breakthrough in unearthing a deep-rooted bribery syndicate within the tax administration system. More arrests and raids are expected in the coming days.
