TLI Staff
New Delhi: In a massive crackdown on GST fraudsters, the tax authorities have booked 8,500 dubious entities over the past few months.
The tax authorities have recovered more than Rs 858 crore from the tax evaders.
One of the reasons for rising monthly GST collection is also attributed to better enforcement by striking the rackets involved in gaming the new indirect tax regime.
The gross GST collection for January 2021 almost touched Rs 1.20 lakh crore, highest since roll-out of the new tax regime.
Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) sources said that out of the 274 arrested so far in the nationwide drive against fake GST invoice frauds in last two and a half months, at least two persons have been booked under COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act).
“Also, there are eight Chartered Accountants and one Company Secretary among these 274 persons arrested so far,” the sources said.
With data sharing among various enforcement authorities and tax department, there has been pointed action against tax-evaders.
“GST intelligence authorities have been able to pin-pointedly identify those indulged in tax evasion through various means including fake bills and also those availing these bills through layers of intermediaries,” a reliable source said.
With the rising number of chartered accountants (CAs) involved in the fraud, the government recently asked regulator Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to take action against the professionals indulging in accounting jugglery.