Rs. 100,000 Bribe Demand Lands Tax Officer in Hot Water

COLOMBO (News 1st); K.C.K. Kumara, the Deputy Commissioner of the City Branch of the Inland Revenue Department, was taken into custody on Monday (7) by officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

According to a statement released by the Commission, the arrest occurred around 3:00 PM at the City Branch office of the Inland Revenue Department. The arrest follows a complaint lodged by a businessman from Piliyandala.

The complainant alleged that while attempting to obtain a tax clearance report for the year 2025 for his business located on Kolonnawa Road, Dematagoda, he was informed of an outstanding tax liability of Rs. 1.1 million from the previous year. 

The Deputy Commissioner had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs. 100,000 to remove the outstanding amount and issue the clearance report.

CIABOC further revealed that the bribe amount was later negotiated down to Rs. 50,000. Of this, Rs. 42,000 was paid on July 3, and the remaining Rs. 8,000 was to be handed over when the arrest was made.