JAGATSINGHPUR: Unscrupulous traders are forging identity and creating bogus companies in Jagatsinghpur district to make away with crores of rupees of Goods and Services Tax (GST) as the State exchequer bleeds. It is the gullible villagers who face the music unaware of the consequences of identity theft.
The GST sleuths raided Bijay Kumar Nayak's Birabarapatana village home on November 2. He allegedly has a firm with a turnover of about Rs 8 crore that had availed input tax credit of Rs 96 lakh.
A contract worker with a local college, Nayak though alleges that an SBI agent had collected his Aadhaar card, PAN details, electricity bill and photographs to facilitate a study loan. He suspects Patnaik may have forged the documents for the illegal act.
Rinubala Sahoo, a resident of Balikuda’s Tihudi was shocked when GST officials raided her house on November 13 and found that her identity was forged to register a fake firm ‘Binayak Traders’. Both Nayak and Sahoo have lodged an FIR with enforcement squad of CT and GST, Jagatsinghpur.
Another firm 'Pamesh Traders' was registered in Panchei village under Tirtol police limits against the name of Pamesh Khumbar who is a homeguard. Details show that the firm had an agreement with another firm M/S Samartis Trade Venture in Rourkela and was involved in iron and scrap trading.
Investigation revealed that there was no such firm in business in the area. Even the contact details were false. Reports said both the two non-existent firms have claimed input tax credit of Rs 2.51 crore.
Similarly, a firm 'Padamabati Traders' was found registered under GST with shop address of Anakhia Bazaar under Biridi police limits. Online records revealed that the firm was registered under the name of Anita Nayak and a GST number generated.
However, her address and contact number were incorrect. The GST portal showed that the firm issued sales and e-way bills worth Rs 50 lakh to several traders in Jagatsinghpur and other districts between April and December, 2019.
Enforcement Officer, CT and GST, Jagatsinghpur Manoj Kumar Prusty said an inquiry into the racket has been initiated and complainants have been advised to lodge complaints with local police. "People have been advised not to give their documents like Aadhaar and PAN cards to unknown persons," said local State GST officer Pritish Panda.
Deputy Commissioner, CT and GST, Paradip Akhil Kumar Sahoo informed that detailed report has been submitted to the department to unearth the racket.