LUCKNOW, Jan. 28 -- Two senior officers at the Jhansi Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) office were informed of the Rs.70 lakh bribery scandal before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) stepped in late last month, sources said.

According to them, the trader who was allegedly being extorted had approached the two officers with a complaint prior to contacting the CBI. Though they reportedly assured him that action would be taken, investigators said no enforcement step, search, or report to department headquarters followed.

The agency was now collecting call records, departmental files and witness statements to assess whether the inaction was deliberate. The two officers are expected to be questioned soon.

The case stems from a ...