3 IRS officers relieved of their positions for creating panic with tax hike report

New Delhi: It seems trouble has mounted for three senior officers of the Indian Revenue cadre commonly known as IRS as the Finance Ministry has divested them of their current responsibilities after issuing chargesheets to Prashant Bhushan, Prakash Dubey and Sanjay Bahadur citing conduct rules for advocating "tax hike" report named 'FORCE'.

As per sources, the 'coercive' action has been taken by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) department in view of their role and complicity in the preparation of the "tax hike" report named 'FORCE' which was being circulated and widely covered in media since April 25.

The report created panic and tax policy uncertainty in the already stressed economic conditions in the country as it had advocated tax hike, the imposition of wealth tax, inheritance tax, levy of COVID-19 surcharge, the sources said.

Notably, Bhushan is 1988 batch IRS officer and general secretary of IRS association. He has been accused of putting the report in public domain without any authority. Bhushan's wife is a Congress MLA from Begusarai in Bihar.

The other officer who has been charge-sheeted is Prakash Dubey, a 2001 batch IRS and presently director at DOPT. Dubey, who is also the joint secretary of IRS Association, has been charged for forcing junior officers prepare a report and "illegally" giving it to IRS association.

The third senior officer in question is Sanjay Bahadur, a 1989 batch IRS, who has also been charged for compelling junior officers to make a report and passing it on to IRS association.

Bahadur, who is principal director investigation, North East Region, has also been charged for violating conduct rules.

As per sources, in the preliminary inquiries, the role of these employees has been found in violating conduct rules. "Despite having more than 30 years of service, these senior officers failed to exercise due care and went on to misguide the 50 young officers," sources said.

The Finance Ministry would have considered the suggestions of young officers if it would had sent to through official channel, the sources said.