In one of the biggest GST scam cases detected since its introduction, authorities in Chennai have arrested a man for allegedly issuing fake GST invoices worth more than Rs 2,000 crore to various companies and availed input tax credit worth Rs 265 crore using this.
According to a statement from M Sreedhar Reddy, commissioner of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Central Excise, Chennai North, Sujaram alias Suresh Dewasi of Sevan Wells in Chennai was arrested after he was found issuing fake GST invoices without supply of goods.
The officers of GST headquarters preventive unit, Chennai, North GST and Central Excise Commissionerate jointly the arrest the accused, according to the statement. It said the culprit was hiding in Siwana Tehsil of Barmer district in Rajasthan and a team from Chennai, headed by G A Harshanand, Assistant Commissioner (Preventive), went there and arrested him.
Sujaram was arrested on Saturday under Section of 69 of Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, and produced before Metropolitan Magistrate court in Jodhpur and will be brought to Chennai.
The official statement said Sujram admitted that he had issued fake GST invoices without supply of goods involving value of Rs 2,000 crore, involving a GST evasion of Rs 265 crore. The statement added that the accused had received commission for issuing such fake invoices.
The accused was produced before Magistrate of Economic Offence cases in Chennai and remanded to judicial custody for 15 days. During the last one year, the GST Directorate has found out that business firms had been claiming hundreds of crores through input tax credit by submitting fake invoices.