Maha GST arrests UP bizman for faking GST bills worth Rs70.22 crores

The Maharashtra GST department, Pune region, on Friday arrested businessman Sirajuddin Kamaluddin Chaudhary from Siddartha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh (UP) for fraudulently availing Rs12

The Maharashtra GST department, Pune region, on Friday arrested businessman Sirajuddin Kamaluddin Chaudhary from Siddartha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh (UP) for fraudulently availing Rs12.59 crores in input tax credit (ITC) against fake goods’ purchased bills worth nearly Rs70.22 crores. The accused was brought to Pune on transit remand and produced before a magisterial court on Sunday, which remanded him to two weeks’ judicial custody. Chaudhary’s is the 68th such arrest of GST evaders in 2022-23 according to the GST department. The joint commissioner of state tax Pune at GST Bhavan said that it was an interstate operation involving officials from the GST department, Pune and the UP police.

The accused was brought to Pune on transit remand and produced before a magisterial court on Sunday, which remanded him to two weeks’ judicial custody. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

A release issued by the department stated, “During the investigation, it was found that four major suppliers are non-existent or non-genuine as their GST registrations were obtained by means of fraud, using forged documents. The probes in cases of these suppliers were conducted at multiple places and it was found that Chaudhary, by means of fake bills worth Rs70.22 crores, without the actual receipt of goods, unlawfully availed ITC worth Rs12.59 crores in the firm.”

“Chaudhary was absconding and hiding in the northern state. A special investigation team (SIT) was formed and sent to UP to nab the culprit. The team, with special efforts and help from the UP police, traced and arrested the accused on March 10. Thereafter, he was brought to Pune under transit remand accorded by the chief judicial magistrate of Siddhartha Nagar, UP. On production before the chief judicial magistrate of Pune, the accused was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody,” the release stated.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of additional commissioner of state tax (Pune zone) Dhananjay Akhade; joint commissioner of state tax (Pune 2) Deepak Bhandare; and deputy commissioner of state tax Manisha Gopale-Bhoir; and was led by assistant commissioners of state tax, Sachin Sangle, Dattatraya Telang, Satish Lanke and Satish Patil, along with state tax inspectors and other team members.

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