CBI court grants bail to Hyderabad GST officials in bribery case

Hyderabad: A CBI court in Hyderabad has granted bail to two senior GST department officials arrested in a bribery case involving Rs 25,000 on Thursday. Two officials were caught red-handed while accepting money from the retired Assistant Commissioner of the same department in the first week of September. 

The tainted officials identified as Dasari Prakash Rao, a Senior Accounts Officer, and Pasula Sudharshan, a Senior Accountant, were ordered to be released on personal bonds of Rs 20,000 each with two sureties.

On 02 September 2025, the CBI registered the case against the said accused and unknown others on the allegations that the accused demanded a bribe of Rs. 30,000 from the complainant, who is a retired Assistant Commissioner, GST/Customs Department, Hyderabad, for releasing the arrears related to the pay parity bill. Upon negotiation, the bribe amount was reduced to Rs. 25,000.CBI laid a trap and caught both the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from the complainant. Both the accused have been arrested.

Bail conditions

The court ordered both accused to surrender their passports and not leave the country without permission. They are prohibited from influencing witnesses in the case. The prosecution had opposed bail, arguing that voice samples from Prakash Rao were still needed and that the officials might tamper with evidence. The court noted both were permanent government employees and were unlikely to flee.

The court in its orders said, Dasari Prakash Rao and Pasula Sudharshan are to be enlarged on bail on executing their personal bonds for a sum of Rs. 20,000 each with two sureties. If they are holding a passport, they are directed to surrender the passport before this Court and shall not leave the country without prior permission of this Court. Further, they shall not influence the witnesses in this case directly or indirectly as ordered by the court.