GST Evasion Scandal: Six Punjab Firms Under Investigation

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence in Ludhiana uncovered a major tax evasion case involving six businesses in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab. The firms evaded GST worth Rs 116.5 crore through transactions totaling Rs 647.4 crore. Authorities arrested the owners, uncovering fake invoicing and clandestine operations.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) in Ludhiana has exposed a significant tax evasion operation involving six companies in Mandi Gobindgarh, located in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district. These businesses carried out transactions valued at Rs 647.4 crore, resulting in the evasion of Rs 116.5 crore in GST.

Among the implicated firms are M/s Bharat Steel Industry, M/s Ramji Concast, M/s AKM Alloys, M/s KTB Alloys, M/s Shree Salasar Balaji Steel Tubes, and M/s Shree Salasar Steel Tubes & Co. They were engaged in the production of billets and pipe trading. The DGGI's investigation led to the discovery of significant evidence, which was supported by admissions from partners and employees about their clandestine removal of goods worth Rs 388.8 crore, leading to Rs 69.8 crore in GST evasion.

The probe also revealed fake invoicing activities amounting to Rs 258.5 crore, causing further GST evasion of Rs 46.5 crore by exploiting bogus Input Tax Credit from non-existent businesses. On May 2, 2025, DGGI Ludhiana arrested three key figures controlling these entities, who are now in judicial custody. The DGGI, as the Indian government's primary GST intelligence agency under the Ministry of Finance, leverages advanced data analytics and intelligence networks to combat tax evasion. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)