GST Fraud: 5 Officials Arrested in Connection
Hyderabad: The detective department (DD) from the city Central Crime Station (CCS) on Saturday arrested five GST officials including a woman in connection with a case registered related to alleged refund fraud.
CCS DCP N. Swetha identified the officials as Peetala Swarna Kumar, deputy commissioner, Nalgonda division; assistant commissioners, state taxes, Kelam Venu Gopal (Abids Circle) and Podila Viswa Kiran (Madhapur-1), Vemavarapu Venkata Ramana, deputy state tax officer, Madhapur-2; Marri Mahitha, senior assistant, Madhapur-3.
The police had earlier arrested Chiraag Sharma, tax consultant of New Delhi; Vemireddy Raja Ramesh Reddy and Mummagari Giridhar Reddy alias Giri, of Kadapa; and Kondragunta Vineel Chowdary, of Palnadu district in Andhra Pradesh, the DCP said.
Police said the accused had claimed that they had started electric bike manufacturing units under the names of various firm, by collecting electricity bills from the premises owners in the twin cities. They got the fake firms registered in the GST portal by submitting fabricated rental agreements, Swetha, said.
The accused during interrogation revealed that they conspired with tax consultant Chiraag Sharma, and created fabricated invoices, e-way bills, part-A, part-B and inward supply bills on the name of bogus firms, showing non-existent company as existing and filed GST refunds by offering bribes to the state government GST officials and then claimed refunds, Swetha said.