By Our Correspondent
KOLKATA/BHUBANESWAR: Income Tax Department carried out search and seizure action on 05.02.2021 on various groups based in Kolkata, engaged in the business of Pharmaceutical manufacturing, diagnostic services and hospitals. The cases were developed based on the available data in the departmental database, analysis of their financial statements, market intelligence and field enquiries. Search and seizure action was carried out at more than 17 premises at Kolkata, Haridwar and Bhubaneswar.
The search action has resulted in unearthing of incriminating evidence revealing various shell entities being used for raising bogus share capital/unsecured loans, expenditure incurred in renovation of property in cash etc. Evidence of out of books cash transactions has also been found. As a result of enquiries conducted during the course of search proceedings, it has been established that the groups have used paper/shell companies to route back their own unaccounted money. A Finance broker engaged in facilitating cash loans to the group was also covered during the operation, who confirmed the transactions.
A total concealment of income amounting to Rs. 300 crore has been detected so far. Cash amounting to Rs. 87 lakh and Jewellery worth Rs. 61 lakh has been seized. 8 Bank lockers have been put under restraint. The assessees have made an admission of undisclosed income amounting to Rs. 50 crore. Further investigations are in progress.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) Gurugram Zonal Unit (GZU), Haryana, has arrested Ritesh Aggarwal, resident of Bahadurgarh, Haryana on charges of passing and availment of fake ITC while operating dummy, fake and non-existent firms and encashing this unduly availed input tax credit (ITC) through IGST refund mode by showing export of cigarettes.
It became apparent from the investigation that Ritesh Aggarwal , the proprietor of M/s SR Impex was de-facto controller of another firm — M/s SR International. In the supply chain of these firm were found to be six other dummy firms by the names of M/s Joles Trading Co, AS Traders, AR Traders, Om Traders, Capital India & S.M enterprises — all controlled by Ritesh Agarwal. In all these firms, Ritesh Aggarwal had availed and passed on ITC of Rs. 376 crore by means of billing without goods. Shri Ritesh Aggarwal was sanctioned refund of Rs. 37.13 crore from the department.
In addition, Shri Ritesh Aggarwal was found to be a habitual offender. In an earlier case also Show Cause Notice for demand of Rs 26.53 crore was issued to him for similar modus operandi of operating fake firm, M/s SS & Co. (GSTIN 06DJUPD5067G2ZW) and availing and passing on fake ITC.
Further, Shri Ritesh Aggarwal, who also adopts the alias of Ravi Gupta, was found to be accused in the Show Cause notice dated 01.03.2019 issued by the DGRI wherein fraudulent drawback was availed on imported areca nuts by forging the Certificate of Origins.
The investigation spanned multiple locations in Delhi and Haryana and based on documentary evidence and statement recorded of many suppliers of these firms, it was ascertained that Shri Ritesh Aggarwal is a key person in orchestrating this racket of making fake/non-existent/dummy firms and wrongly availment and passing on on ITC of Rs. 376 crore. Accordingly, Shri Ritesh Aggarwal was arrested on 09.02.2021 and produced before Duty MM, Patiala House Court Delhi, who ordered judicial custody.Further investigations in the matter are under progress.
The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) Gurugram Zonal Unit (GZU), Haryana has arrested one Surender Kumar Gupta resident of New Delhi on charges of availing and passing on fake input tax credit by way of receipt/issuance of invoices without any actual supply of goods or services.
It is apparent from the investigation conducted till date, that Shri Surender Kumar Gupta, Director of M/s. Mystic Exim Pvt. Ltd., M/s. Landmark Traders Pvt. Ltd. and Controller of M/s. JKM Impex forged documents to show receipt of goods in his above mentioned companies/firms from multiple fictitious/non-existent entities, which never existed at their given addresses. The entities of Shri Surender Kumar Gupta had further passed on the fake ITC to multiple exporter firms, who had further encashed such ITC through fraudulent IGST refunds.
The investigation spanned multiple locations in Delhi/Gurugram and based on documentary evidence and statement recorded, it was ascertained that Shri Surender Kumar Gupta is a key person in orchestrating this racket of availing fake ITC.
Accordingly, Shri Surender Kumar Gupta was arrested on 05/02/2021 and produced before Duty Magistrate, Tihar Complex, New Delhi, who ordered judicial custody. From the investigations conducted till date, it appears that the total value of goods involved in the subject transactions is more than Rs. 600 crore and the total fake ITC availed by entities of the accused is more than Rs. 69 crore.Further investigations in the matter are under progress.
