LUCKNOW, Jan. 4 -- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has found that a fixed commission structure was at the core of a systematic extortion racket allegedly operating within the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) office in Jhansi, according to officials privy to the investigation. The development follows the arrest of deputy commissioner Prabha Bhandari and four other accused in a Rs.1.5 crore bribery case on December 31, 2025. According to the probe, the accused officials had allegedly put in place a well-defined mechanism to settle tax evasion cases of traders in exchange for hefty bribes. Investigators said the operation functioned on pre-decided shares, ensuring monetary benefits for all members of the nexus involved in the illegal dealings. The CBI sources revealed that Bhandari allegedly led the racket with the active assistance of her subordinates, including Anil Kumar Tiwari, Ajay Sharma and three other employees. These officials allegedly acted as facilitators between traders facing tax scrutiny and senior officers, negotiating illegal settlements in return for bribes. The investigation also revealed that employees who allegedly brokered deals were paid a fixed 10% commission of the bribe amount. These intermediaries were allegedly tasked with identifying traders under investigation, approaching them with offers to "manage" tax cases, and routing payments through trusted channels. The CBI officials said that some traders were also part of the nexus, working in tandem with departmental insiders to form a syndicate that functioned as a brokerage network. In return for payments, tax evasion cases were allegedly diluted, delayed or settled without proper action, allowing traders to evade penalties and recovery proceedings. During interrogation, the arrested accused have reportedly named several more officers and employees allegedly linked to the racket. Based on these disclosures, the agency is likely to make further arrests in the coming days. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing in court on January 13. The CBI officials suspect the extortion mechanism was operational for a considerable period and involved multiple layers of the department. The agency is now scrutinising documents, digital records and seized cash to establish the complete money trail and identify all beneficiaries of the illegal commission-based system....