₹10,000 crore GST fraud: Assets worth ₹5 crore of two suspects attached
Noida, Feb 23, 2024
So far, the police have arrested 29 suspects in connection with the case and exposed 2,660 bogus companies during the investigation
The Noida police on Wednesday evening executed an order from the district court to attach immovable assets of two Delhi-based men who were arrested for allegedly perpetrating a GST [goods and services tax] fraud amounting to nearly ₹10,000 crore that had come to fore last year, senior officials said on Thursday.
On June 1 last year, the Noida police busted a gang suspected of orchestrating the multi-crore fraud. According to police, the gang would register thousands of bogus companies under stolen or fake identities and use them to generate e-way bills and obtain input tax credit (ITC) from the government.
So far, the police have arrested 29 suspects in connection with the case and exposed 2,660 bogus companies during the investigation.
“The Noida police had earlier filed an application with the district court to take legal action against those involved in the fraud following which on Monday, the court issued 21 attachment warrants under Section 83 (attachment of property of person absconding) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against seven suspects who have been proclaimed as absconding,” said Rajneesh Verma, assistant commissioner of police-1, Noida.
Properties collectively worth over ₹25 crore have been identified and will be attached during legal proceedings, said the ACP.
“Of the seven, the property of two suspects -- Arjit Goyal and Rohit Nagpal, both residents of Rohini area in Delhi-- that have been are valued at ₹5 crore, was attached on Wednesday. Action against the others will be taken soon,” said the officer.
The fraud was unearthed after a Noida resident and editor of a media firm located in Sector 16 submitted a complaint regarding an identity fraud on his PAN card at the Sector 20 police station on May 10.
An FIR in connection with the case was lodged at the Sector 20 police station last year under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating), 467, 468, 471 (all related to forgery) and 120B (party to criminal conspiracy), the office said.
[The Hindustan Times]
