New Delhi, Jun 10 (IANS): The Government has compulsorily retired almost a dozen senior tax officers on charges ranging from extortion, bribe and sexual harassment.

The axe has fallen on about 12 senior officers of the rank of Chief Commissioners, Principal Commissioners and Commissioners of Income Tax (I-T) Department under FR (fundamental rule) 56 (j) of Central Civil Services (pension) Rules.

The officers include Ashok Agarwal, Joint Commissioner of I-T and former Deputy Director of Enforcement Directorate, S.K. Srivastava, Commissioner (appeal, Noida), Homi Rajvansh, IRS (1985 batch), A.B.B. Rajendra Prasad, Ajoy Kumar Singh, A.B. Arulappa, Alok Kumar Mitra, Chander Saini Bharti, Andasu Ravinder, Swetabh Suman, Ram Kumar Bhargava and Vivek Batra.

This is major crackdown by the Narendra Modi-led government on bureaucrats and officials indulging in alleged corrupt practices.

Among the key tax officials shown the door, Ashok Agarwal remained suspended from 1999 to 2014. He faced serious allegations of corruption and extortion from businessmen accused of helping late Godman Chandraswami. Agarwal was found to have acquired ill-gotten wealth to the tune of Rs 12 crore and faced CBI inquiry.

The 1989 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was also retired prematurely as he faced charges of alleged sexual harassment.