Telangana: Illiterate labourer gets notice to clear Rs 22.8 lakh GST dues

Kothagudem:Janapati Venkateswarlu, a daily wage labourer from Chundrugonda, was left stunned after receiving a demand notice from the Vijayawada Commercial Tax Office for unpaid GST dues amounting to Rs 22.8 lakh. The notice, a DRC-7 dated March 4, was delivered to his home at 4-14 Temple Street, Chandrugonda, in the district.

According to the notice, the tax authorities claim that Bhagya Laxmi Enterprise — purportedly registered at the same residential address in Chandrugonda but operating from 60-12-5, Siddhartha Nagar, SBI Colony, Vijayawada — owes Rs 22.86 lakh in GST dues for the 2022-23 tax period, including penalties and interest, under GSTIN: 37CKKPV6641Q1Z0.

Venkateswarlu, who is illiterate and lives in a small room, learned about the details of the notice only after seeking help from a literate neighbour who could read and explain the document in Telugu. He also reported receiving phone calls demanding payment of the tax dues. Insisting that he has no connection with Bhagya Laxmi Enterprise and does not engage in any business activities, Venkateswarlu was advised by the calling officer to file a police complaint.

Further complicating matters, Venkateswarlu visited the address listed for the company in Vijayawada on March 12, only to find that no office existed there. With the help of friends, he found that a PAN card had been fraudulently issued in his name. Venkateswarlu plans to lodge a formal complaint with the Kothagudem police, as advised by an income-tax officer, to address the matter.