New Delhi: In a revelation that places a question mark over the government’s willingness to take on businessmen trying to bend the system, Union finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia received two gold biscuits of 20 grams each from a mystery giver during Diwali in 2016 but neither he nor his minister, Arun Jaitley, sought to order an investigation into the identity and motive of the individual who evidently sought to influence him.

Despite two years having passed, the identity of the giver is still unknown.

The mystery gift was valued at around Rs 2 lakh for the two gold bars. Adhia was then holding the key office of revenue secretary. His importance in the establishment’s pecking order may be gauged by the fact that he was one of only a handful of individuals who was privy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 8, 2016 decision to demonetise high denomination notes.

Adhia confirmed to The Wire that the mystery gold was sent to his residence in New Moti Bagh and claims that as he was not at home when it was delivered, he does not know the identity of the generous gift-giver. But instead of asking for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into what could only be termed an attempt to ‘bribe and influence’ one of the most powerful bureaucrats on Raisina Hill, Adhia says he simply sent the gold bars to the government’s official toshakhana – a facility run by the Ministry of External Affairs where gifts above a certain value given to officials and ministers are meant to be deposited.

Barely 24 hours before confirming receipt of the gold, Adhia had denied receiving an expensive gift from controversial billionaire jeweller Nirav Modi and sending it to the toshakhana, as this correspondent had been informed by well-placed sources.