Over 150 suspected agencies are under investigation for GST fraud in Himachal Pradesh
The Excise and Taxation Department of Himachal Pradesh is investigating over 150 agencies registered under fraud in the state following directions from the central government. These agencies suspected of committing GST fraud are part of a major nationwide crackdown on fake registrations. Full details of the investigation will be revealed in the coming days, but the effort is part of a comprehensive campaign launched by the central government to curb illegal GST activities across the country.
A special campaign has been underway since August 16 to monitor and investigate GST registrations, under which 67,970 suspicious accounts have been detected across the country in just one and a half months. Of these, 39,965 or 59 per cent accounts have been verified till September 22. Himachal is playing an important role in this campaign, as agencies from other states are registering illegally to do business in the region.
This is not the first time Himachal has faced such problems. Last year, a major case of GST fraud of Rs 10.49 crore was unearthed in the state. The investigation at that time identified eight fake firms involved in tax evasion by creating fake GST accounts. Three of these firms were from Gujarat, which used fake Aadhaar card details to register illegally in Himachal Pradesh. After two months of intensive investigation, the Excise and Taxation Department busted this network and 129 firms were put under the scanner.
This action revealed the gravity of the issue, wherein outside agencies were exploiting Himachal’s system to evade taxes. The state’s excise officials conducted a major nationwide investigation based on their findings and by May this year, more fraudulent activities were unearthed. The drive helped prevent major loss of GST revenue and ensured strict control over registrations.
Now the Excise and Taxation Department is once again fully active and a new two-month drive is being run from August 16 to October 15. During this period, registered firms across the country are being investigated to detect illegal activity. Himachal Pradesh, which has been particularly affected by outside interference, is once again playing a key role in this nationwide effort.
The investigations by these 150 agencies will reveal the extent of fraud in Himachal, but officials are confident that this new initiative will significantly reduce leakage of GST revenue in the state.
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