In a significant crackdown on fraudulent tax practices, the Central Crime Station ( CCS ) of the Hyderabad police has apprehended five Goods and Services Tax ( GST ) officials, including a deputy commissioner, for their involvement in a scheme to deceitfully claim GST refunds.
The CCS police revealed that these individuals collaborated with others to establish fraudulent electric bike manufacturing units under various names in Hyderabad. They obtained electricity bills from property owners and registered fictitious firms on the GST portal using counterfeit rental agreements.
Further, the accused parties, along with their tax consultant Chiraag Sharma, allegedly fabricated invoices, e-way bills (Part-A, Part-B), and inward supply bills in the names of these nonexistent companies.
These falsified documents were then used to falsely claim GST refunds, with bribes allegedly offered to state government GST officials, including the arrested government officials. A police spokesperson commented, “During this process, the accused persons claimed refunds and gained wrongfully, causing a wrongful loss to the Government Exchequer, without manufacturing E-Bikes.”
Police further disclosed that Vinardh Automobiles filed GST returns and claimed a refund of 23.78 crores. However, upon inquiry, it was discovered that the firms on whose behalf he submitted the claims were fictitious, and he had filed fabricated documents for GST returns.
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