Assam STF arrests mastermind, 11 others in Rs 33.73 crore GST fraud network

Guwahati: The Assam Special Task Force (STF) has arrested three more individuals, including the alleged mastermind of a multi-state Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to 12, officials said on Thursday.

The alleged kingpin, Vinit Kumar Poddar, was apprehended from Kolkata on Wednesday night during an STF operation. Two others, Surajit Barman and Vivek Kumar Gupta, were also arrested from Kolkata's Tiljala area, based on fresh leads that emerged during the investigation.

The STF has so far traced a GST fraud amounting to Rs 33.73 crore. The accused are suspected of illegally claiming Input Tax Credit through forged documents and a network of shell entities spread across several states.

Speaking to reporters in Guwahati, STF Senior Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Pegu said the case has so far led to the arrest of 12 accused in two related cases registered in June and July this year. "The investigation is moving ahead. We are following the money trail and identifying others who may have played a role in the fraud," Pegu said.

The first case, registered in June, had already resulted in the arrest of eight accused. Investigators later traced Poddar, who is believed to have orchestrated the alleged GST ITC fraud network. The second case initially led to the arrest of Rishikesh Kalita. Information obtained during his interrogation helped authorities identify Barman and Gupta, who were subsequently picked up in Kolkata.

All three arrested accused have been booked under non-bailable sections related to cheating, forgery, and the use of forged documents. They will be produced before the competent court as legal proceedings continue.

Input Tax Credit fraud typically involves claiming tax credits on purchases that never took place, causing significant revenue loss to the exchequer. The STF is now scrutinising financial transactions and working to identify other individuals and entities connected to the network. The accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.