GUWAHATI: The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police on Thursday, August 6, arrested three more persons in connection with the fake GST Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud during two separate coordinated raid and search operations carried out in Kolkata, officials said on Thursday.
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With these three arrests, the total number of persons apprehended by STF, Assam, in connection with the recently detected fake GST/ITC fraud cases has risen to twelve.
On August 2, Vivek Kumar Gupta and Surajit Barman were apprehended from Tiljala, Kolkata. Subsequently, on August 4, another prime accused, Vineet Kumar Poddar, was apprehended from Kaikhali, Kolkata.
During the operations, mobile phones, SIM cards, and various incriminating documents were recovered and seized from their possession. The arrested accused persons were brought to Guwahati last night on transit remand after obtaining the necessary orders from the competent court.
Of the three arrested accused, Vineet Kumar Poddar and Vivek Kumar Gupta are residents of Kolkata, West Bengal, while Surajit Barman is a resident of Barama, Baksa district, Assam, who had been concealing himself in Kolkata to evade arrest, Assam Police said.
STF Assam had registered two different cases – one in June and the other in July, STF SSP Pranab Kr Pegu told the media on Thursday.
“Since it is a non-bailable offence, we have taken lawful action and arrested the accused,” the top police official said.
“The investigation is in progress, and further legal action is being taken in accordance with law,” Assam Police said.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly operated a network of fake GST firms to fraudulently claim and pass on Input Tax Credit, causing a loss of about ₹34 crore in tax revenue.
The development comes weeks after the STF arrested Trishna Barman, a resident of Barama in Assam's Baksa district, from Siliguri, West Bengal, in July in connection with the fake GST Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud case.
The joint operation was led by STF, Assam Police and GST Intelligence and Enforcement Unit, Assam.