GST SCAM GETS BIGGER, CAUSES HARYANA LOSS OF RS 464.14 CRORE

Fraudsters have caused a loss of Rs 464.14 crore in Haryana and the police have busted 4 major gangs related to issuing or registration of bogus firms involved in the GST fake invoice bills scam. The nexus of these fraudsters was active not only in Haryana but across the country. The crackdown on GST fake invoice scam has also led to the recovery of over Rs 112 crore and unearthing fake GST Identification Numbers (GSTIN). A total of 72 police cases have been filed so far in which 89 accused have been arrested by the Crime Branch. Among the total arrests, 40 cases have been registered majorly on Govind Sharma, Gaurav, Anupam Singla and Rakesh Arora.

Regarding the same, Manoj Yadava, DGP, said that these persons issued fraudulent invoices to numerous firms and companies without actual supply of goods through fraudulent e-Way bills (GST related challans for transporting consignments) and facilitated fake (Income Tax Credit) ITC entitlement on GST portal through GSTR-3B form. Police has also blocked inadmissible ITC worth of Rs 97.22 crore in Excise and Taxation Department.

A total of 21 FIRs against fake firms belonging to Govind gang active in Panipat and adjoining areas were lodged in year 2019 while other three gangs involved in major GST evasion were booked between 2018 and 2019. Police has so far blocked ITC of these gangs to the tune of over Rs 80 crore in Excise and Taxation Department. Sharing the details of major cases Yadava said that the Crime Branch Madhuban (Karnal unit) had already arrested Govind and his aides in 21 cases in a fake invoice scam worth Rs 44.79 crore. Crime Branch Karnal unit has recovered Rs 37.55 crore so far. The Hisar Crime unit has arrested Anupam Singla, a resident of Sirsa presently residing in Delhi, for evading GST amounting to Rs 157.39 crore without actual supply of cotton yarn material. During investigation, certain facts came into notice that police found blank signed cheque books pertaining to almost 173 different bank accounts, blank bilty books belonging to various transporters, identity proof of different persons, mobile SIM cards and other incriminating documents.

In another major operation again by Madhuban (Karnal Crime Unit), three cases were registered against a Panipat based Gaurav gang, which was involved in issuance of fake GST invoices without any supply of goods and services. He used to make shell firms which were issuing invoices worth crores of rupees and not paying tax and paying the entire liability through ITC. This gang had caused a GST loss of Rs 3.34 crore to the government exchequer out of which police had already recovered Rs 1.8 crore. In yet another instance, Rakesh Arora gang of Arjun Nagar Gurugram, caused a loss of more than Rs 100.77 crore by submitting fake bills of sales/purchase of goods. Crackdown on the accused by the Crime branch Gurugram unit led to the recovery of Rs 47.6 crore.