The CBI today smashed a major bribery racket allegedly involving senior Income Tax officials, chartered accountants and businessmen, arresting four persons including a Joint Commissioner of I-T department.

In the operation which started yesterday across Mumbai and Chennai, the agency has so far arrested Salong Yaden, Joint Commissioner of Income-Tax department posted in Chennai, CBI sources said here.

The others arrested are Chartered Accountants Sanjay Bhandari and Shreyas Bhandari and Managing Director of Chennai-based real estate firm SPG and RG Hitesh Kawad, they said, adding several other companies were also under scanner.

It is alleged that the businessmen were seeking undue favours from Income Tax officials with their Chartered Accountants acting as middlemen, according to the sources.

In 16 places searched so far, the agency has seized cash and ornaments worth Rs one crore, 16 laptops, 13 CPUs, nine mobile phones, three i-pads, property papers and other documents, they claimed.

The sources said several more senior Income Tax officers from Mumbai and Chennai are under scanner.