In a major breakthrough against financial fraud, two individuals have been apprehended in Kolkata in connection with an extensive fake Input Tax Credit (ITC) scam valued at over Rs 50 crore. The arrests were made following a collaborative effort by the Assam State GST Department and the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police.
After an intensive four-day pursuit, the investigating team successfully located and detained Vivek Kumar Gupta from Kolkata and Surajit Barman, who hails from Assam's Baksa district. Both are suspected to be integral members of a syndicate allegedly involved in orchestrating the widespread tax evasion. Officials indicated that the ongoing investigation has also identified Hrishikesh Kalita and Trishna Barman as part of the fraudulent network.
The probe has so far revealed a sophisticated scheme involving the creation of at least 15 fictitious GST firms. These shell entities were purportedly established solely for the purpose of fraudulently availing and passing on Input Tax Credit, leading to tax evasion estimated to surpass Rs 50 crore. While two key accused are now in custody, another prime suspect, Shubhrajeet Bhattacharjee, remains at large, with efforts underway to trace and apprehend him.
Preliminary findings suggest that the fraudsters illegally obtained GST registrations by misusing the personal identification details, including PAN and Aadhaar, of unsuspecting individuals. Vivek Kumar Gupta is alleged to have played a crucial role in managing the financial transactions and logistics of the illicit operation. The successful apprehension was part of an operation jointly overseen by Monuj Kr Dowari, Superintendent of State Tax, GST Intelligence.
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