<h1>Bribery demand for GST registration number: Excise and Tax officials and clerk convicted, sentenced to five years, fined Rs 1 lakh</h1> A Gurugram court convicted two Haryana Excise and Taxation Department officials and a clerk in a bribery case arising from a demand for illegal gratification for issuance of a GST registration number and sentenced each to five years' imprisonment with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The conviction establishes criminal liability for corruption in connection with processing GST registration applications and results in custodial punishment and monetary penalties for the convicted persons, with the department indicating that further departmental proceedings may follow.