Agra: A vigilance inquiry into railway parcel operations originating from Agra Cantonment has led to corruption proceedings against three individuals after investigators found evidence of an alleged ₹42 lakh shortfall in Goods and Services Tax (GST), officials said on Thursday.
Probe, findings and personnel named
The open vigilance inquiry, ordered following a complaint received in 2023, focused on goods booked through railway parcel vans that were later found not to have had the GST remitted to the exchequer despite payments at the time of booking, the report said. The probe identified the then Assistant Commissioner of the Commercial Tax Department, Sandeep Kumar Singh, Commercial Tax Officer Devesh Pandey, and transport contractor Aslam Qureshi as persons against whom proceedings were to be initiated.
"Goods worth ₹42 lakh had been loaded into a parcel van at Agra Cantonment railway station on the morning of September 29, 2022," the vigilance report states.
The complaint was lodged by trader Ravi Gandhi, who alleged that goods sent through the parcel vans were not handled properly and that GST collected at the time of booking had not been deposited with the government. Following the inquiry, the government granted permission to initiate action and a corruption case has now been registered against the three named individuals, the report added.
Allegations and sequence of events
According to the inquiry record, officials were informed about the consignment and reached Agra Cantonment station after receiving the information, but by then the parcel van was reportedly empty. Railway records indicate the movement of the parcel van on the stated date.
- Complainant: Ravi Gandhi — complaint lodged in 2023.
- Incident date cited by the probe: 29 September 2022 — goods allegedly loaded at Agra Cantonment.
- Amount involved: ₹42 lakh in goods/related GST shortfall.
- Persons against whom proceedings initiated: Sandeep Kumar Singh, Devesh Pandey, and Aslam Qureshi.
The vigilance report asserts a failure to ensure that GST collected during parcel booking reached the government account and points to lapses in immediate action when the complaint was brought to officials' notice. The matter was first flagged by the trader after the consignment was moved, prompting an open vigilance inquiry by the state government.
| Key date | Event |
|---|---|
| 29 Sep 2022 | Goods allegedly loaded into parcel van at Agra Cantonment |
| 2023 | Complainant files grievance leading to open vigilance inquiry |
| 2026 | Vigilance report completed; permission obtained to initiate proceedings; corruption case registered |
Local implications and administrative response
The case highlights vulnerabilities in the oversight of parcel consignments and the accounting of indirect taxes collected at point of booking. Railway parcel services are commonly used by traders in Agra for inter-state movement of goods, and any gaps in tax remittance or documentation can have direct revenue implications for the state and central exchequers.
Permission from the government to proceed against public servants is a standard administrative requirement in corruption matters; the report says this permission was obtained before launching formal proceedings. The registered corruption case will be processed according to statutory procedures and subject to adjudication by the competent investigative and prosecuting authorities.
Officials did not provide additional comment in the report beyond the inquiry findings. The probe record, the complaint filed by the trader and the subsequent government order to open an inquiry form the basis of the current action.
For Agra traders and transport contractors, the development is likely to prompt closer scrutiny of booking procedures, documentation at parcel terminals and reconciliations of taxes collected. Vigilance action in such cases is aimed at deterring leakage of public funds and ensuring accountability of both departmental officials and contractors involved in transport and logistics.
