Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Jul 16: Central Tax Department has stepped up the intensity of operations against the GST evaders. Bengaluru South GST Commissionerate has unearthed seven cases of GST fraud in which an amount of Rs 63 crore was not paid to the government. The department has so far recovered Rs 41 crores out of the said amount including fines. The defaulters include businesses such as travels, consultant services, builders, automobile and IT industry.

The GST South Commissionerate has given priority to catch hold of the defaulters as soon as the GST introduction completed one year of its introduction. In addition to GST, the department is recovering the old VAT tax balance not paid and also tax evasion during the changeover from VAT to GST. A total amount of Rs 165 crore of fraud has come to light and the tax inspectors have recovered Rs 60 crores so far.

The commissionerate, which was focusing on the major GST payers, has turned its eyes on the other smaller GST players also. It is unearthing the cheaters and imposing heavy fines on them.

There are eight zonal offices under the central tax department. Bengaluru city itself has five zones. In addition, there are zonal offices in Mangaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi. Out of this, the Bengaluru south commissionerate has increased the intensity of its operations to find out the fraudsters.

The department has also unearthed the non-payment of excise tax and service tax that was prevalent before the introduction of GST. The officers have found out fraud to the tune of Rs 45 crore. They have so far recovered Rs 22 crore out of this amount. In addition, the tax department has cracked the cheating of tax during the changeover from VAT to GST to the tune of Rs 120 crore by 136 persons/firms and has recovered an amount of Rs 38 crore.