‘Main naukri mein hoon’: IRS officer initially denies, then agrees to Rs 45 lakh bribe

The conversation was recorded in a voice recorder’s memory card, which was taken by the complainant, on being told by CBI officials, to the residence of an advocate in Chandigarh, where co-accused Harsh Kotak was sitting. The conversation between Harsh Kotak and Sanam Kapoor was recorded over a discussion on Rs 45 lakh bribe. Also, Harsh Kotak let the complainant talk to Amit Kumar Singhal from his mobile phone on speaker. During the conversation, the bribe of Rs 45 lakh came up and the complainant requested Singhal to sort out the matter of income tax notice.

As per the transcript of the conversation, initially, Singhal is heard denying the bribe demand, attempting to maintain a façade of integrity. However, as the conversation progresses, he appears to soften his stance and ultimately ‘agrees’ to the bribe proposal.

The CBI had laid a trap and caught Singhal, Additional Director General at the Directorate of Taxpayer Services, New Delhi, and his associate Kotak while they were allegedly demanding the bribe. They had reportedly been harassing Kapoor, the owner of La Pino’s Pizza, by sending him repeated income tax notices and then demanding Rs 45 lakh to have them withdrawn. Kapoor alerted the CBI, leading to a trap and arrest of the accused.

As per CBI’s remand paper submitted at Chandigarh Court on Sunday, “…role of accused Amit Kumar Singhal, is complicit as during the conversations held with complainant over telephone at the time of verification on May 30, 2025 and trap proceedings on May 31, 2025, the accused Amit kumar Singhal acknowledged the demand of bribe amount of Rs 45 lakh raised by him in exchange for extending favourable treatment from the Revenue/lncome Tax Department and subsequently accepted bribe amount of Rs 25 Lakhs from complainant through co- accused Harsh Kotak”.

Excerpts of conversation between:

Kapoor, Kotak, and Singhal

Kapoor: ‘Meri baat kara do good note pe to main chahta hu ki hm isko yahi pe khatam kr de….’(Kapoor tells Kotak to make him talk to Singhal, to end the issue on a good note)

Kotak – ‘Hello, kuch cheez discuss karni thi yaha pe main baitha thaa toh inhonay bola ki joh bhi apka payment hai mein aapka payment kar deta hu or maine unko bahut samjhaya ki na income tax na health ka hamara koi lena dena hai…vo bol rahay hai good note pe sir se baatcheet kara do or mein apko pura payment kar deta hu….ap khali ek minute baatcheet karlo is barein mein’ (Kotak, reportedly talked to Singhal over his phone asking Singhal to talk to Kapoor for a minute)

Kapoor: Hi sir, how are you?

Singhal: I am good, you tell me.

Kapoor – ‘…meri bas ye request hai…apnay joh mujhe bola hai ye 45 ka ye toh clear kar dunga…I will pay you this one…but meri ek request hai ki income tax walay mein meri help kardo usko clear off kardo…’(Kapoor says to Singhal that he will clear payment of Rs 45 lakh, but requests for help in income tax notice case).

Singhal: ‘Apka jo bhi mudda merko thoda sa detail mei bataiye aapki help kar deta hu (Singhal offers help to Kapoor)’

Singhal: ‘Maine ye kuch nahi karaya hai…joh wha tab office mein thaa Punit Ahluwalia’ (Singhal to Kapoor)

Kapoor: ‘Meri help kardo ismay…’ (Kapoor to Singhal)

Singhal: ‘Bhai maine apko mana kiya he nahi kabhi…’

Kapoor: ‘Chalo theek hai done sir mein ye jo 45 ka aapne bola tha apko clear kar deta hu but meri request hai aj ke baad mujhse mere se koi narajgi mat rakhna…’ (Kapoor to Singhal)

Singhal: ‘Sanam bhai main apko ek baat batau’?

Kapoor: Ji (Yes).

Singhal: ‘Mein hai na noukri mei hu (Singhal to Kapoor saying that he is in a job).’

Kapoor: ‘…Theek hai jo apnay last bola hai main woh kar deta hu 45 but request hai ab mera yeh wala matter mein isko help karke isko finish off kara do please (Kapoor to Singhal)’

Singhal: ‘Theek hai’ (Singhal agrees to Kapoor’s submission).