MUMBAI: The Bombay high court has granted interim protection from arrest to advocate Priyanka Singh, who is facing allegations in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case related to an alleged attempt to bribe a GST intelligence officer in connection with a tax-evasion probe involving online betting platforms.Justice Prafulla S. Khubalkar, hearing Singh’s anticipatory bail application, directed that she should not be arrested until the next hearing, subject to her cooperation with the investigation. The court also directed her to report before the investigating agency every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 10 a.m and 5 pm, and whenever required by investigators. The matter has been posted for further hearing on July 2.The case arises from a complaint filed by Vivek Pratap Singh, an Intelligence Officer with the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Durgapur Regional Unit. According to the CBI, the complaint relates to an inquiry into suspected tax evasion linked to online betting websites. Abhishek Katiyar superintendent of CGST is accused of offering Rs 1 crores bribe to another officer to settle an inquiry related to alleged GST evasion by two private parties.The agency alleges that Katiyar, associated with Appnit Technologies, offered a bribe of Rs 1 crore to the DGGI officer to influence or halt the investigation. The alleged offer was made through advocate Priyanka Singh on behalf of the company and was reportedly repeated on August 22 and August 26. The CBI further claims that Katiyar later met the complainant at a hotel in New Town, Kolkata, and offered Rs 20 lakh as an initial payment. A subsequent trap operation in Delhi allegedly led to the arrest of persons who arrived to deliver the money.Appearing for the applicant, advocate Sana Raees Khan argued that Priyanka Singh was merely acting in her professional capacity as a lawyer representing the company. Khan submitted that there is no specific allegation that the applicant personally offered any bribe and that she was only following up on legal matters. The defence also assured the court that Singh would fully cooperate with the investigation.
