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Tax evasion: Punjab VB arrests mediator, recovers over ₹21 lakh
He was wanted in a case related to causing loss to the state exchequer for evasion of GST in connivance with excise and taxation officers in the state, according to an official statement
Chandigarh: The Punjab vigilance bureau (B) on Friday arrested a main passer (member of gang involved in illegal movement of goods without paying tax) identified as Rajinder Singh Sodhi, aka Lovely, from Ambala and recovered cash from his house.
He was wanted in a case related to causing loss to the state exchequer for evasion of GST in connivance with excise and taxation officers in the state, according to an official statement.
A spokesperson of the state vigilance bureau said a case under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B and 201 IPC and 7, 7(A) and 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act had already been registered at VB flying squad-1, police station at Mohali.
The case was registered against Punjab GST/excise & taxation officials and passers/mediators for being complicit for causing a huge loss to the state exchequer through provision of escape routes to passers for evasion of GST as well as imposing a lesser amount of penalty during checking of vehicles carrying unfinished (Iron scrap) and finished goods, he added.
He said that during investigation, some officials of the excise & taxation department and passers have already been arrested. “These passers/mediators gave hefty bribes on monthly basis to the department officials for this purpose,” he said.
The spokesperson revealed that after the arrest of Sodhi, the VB team made a house search of the accused and recovered ₹21,65,241 in the presence of witnesses, which would be further probed during investigation.
The VB has obtained six-day remand of the accused for further investigation, he added.
