MUMBAI, Jan. 26 -- Senior IPS officer Dr Sadanand Shankarrao Date, who headed the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) anti-corruption branch in Mumbai as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) for nearly three years and supervised several high-profile probes, has been awarded the President's police medal for meritorious service on the occasion of Republic Day today. A 2007-batch IPS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre, Date was associated with key investigations, including the September 2024 alleged bribery case involving senior Central GST (CGST) officials in Mumbai, which led to the arrest of six officers-an additional commissioner, a joint commissioner and four superintendents-after a businessman accused them of illegal confinement, intimidation and extortion. On September 5, 2024, the CBI registered an FIR against eight accused persons, including the six CGST officials, based on a complaint by a businessman who runs a pharmaceutical trading firm. He alleged that when he visited the CGST office in Santacruz on the evening of September 4, he was kept confined for around 18 hours and subjected to force and verbal abuse by four officials of superintendent rank. The officials allegedly demanded Rs.80 lakh to avoid arrest and secure favourable treatment in a tax evasion probe. The amount was later reduced to Rs.60 lakh, of which Rs.50 lakh was allegedly paid. During trap proceedings, the CBI initially arrested three accused, including a CGST superintendent, and two private persons, including an accused chartered accountant, while allegedly accepting a part payment of Rs.20 lakh. Investigators later recovered and seized Rs.30 lakh allegedly paid earlier through a hawala operator. Within weeks of the CBI registering the case, the CGST Mumbai zone introduced preventive vigilance measures, including installation of CCTV cameras, stricter supervision over summonses and warrants, and instructions that taxpayers be allowed to leave by around 7pm to 7.30pm, with commissioner-level approval required for keeping anyone beyond those hours, officials said. The measures followed CBI recommendations after the agency found some CGST offices lacked CCTV coverage. CBI sources described Date as an officer known for integrity and a meticulous, no-nonsense approach. Apart from Date, 30 other CBI officers were awarded police medals, including Dharmendra Kumar and Sharad Suresh Bhawar from CBI Mumbai. CBI officer who led the RG Kar case gets police medal P10...