Mastermind Of Fake GST Invoices Racket In Odisha Arrested

Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Wing of Odisha Goods and Services Tax (GST) seems to have cracked the racket of fake invoices that have reportedly victimised innocent people like plumbers, daily wagers and others in the state.

The GST officials arrested Sandeep Mohanty, the mastermind of the racket which created fake GST invoices worth Rs 510.28 crore on Thursday night. They also seized three vehicles carrying the goods with fake invoices issued by Sandeep at Jeypore in Koraput district, according to a news agency.

Sushil Kumar Lohani, Commissioner (Commercial Tax and GST), said Sandeep in collusion with others availed bogus Input Tax Credit (ITC) worth Rs 27.21 crore raising fake purchase invoices worth Rs 166 crore in the name of 22 fake business entities created and operated by him.

Sandeep has been found to have passed bogus ITC worth Rs 61.79 crore on the strength of fake invoices worth Rs 344 crore to the recipients of both inside and outside Odisha against the sale of goods purchased fictitiously and has defrauded the state exchequer, said Lohani.