Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Commissionerate, Faridabad, of Panchkula CGST Zone, on 23.02.2022 arrested two persons for running a fake billing racket, involving five (5) dummy firms, dealing in trading of iron scrap, registered in Faridabad, Haryana, for issuance of fake invoices of over ₹ 200 crore without actual supply of goods and availing and passing fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC) amounting to ₹ 31.85 crore.

A team of officers of Anti-Evasion, CGST Commissionerate, Faridabad, conducted simultaneous searches at 5 places in Faridabad on 22^nd February, 2022. During the investigation, it was found that the said firms have been availing and passing on fraudulent Input Tax Credit based on bogus / fake invoices without actual supply of goods.

As per Section 132 of CGST Act 2017, issuance of an invoice or bill without supply of goods or services and wrongful availment or utilization of Input Tax Credit is a cognizable and non-bailable offence if the amount is over ₹ 5 crore.

Both the proprietors of the said firms have accepted that they have availed and passed on fraudulent ITC of ₹ 31.85 crore, without actual supply of goods to inter-state recipients and have accepted the total GST liability of ₹ 31.85 crore during initial investigation. The quantum may increase in future.

Therefore, both the accused have been arrested under Section 69 of Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 for committal of offences under Section 132(1)(b), 132(1) (c) & 132 (5) of the CGST Act, 2017. They were produced before the CJM Court, Faridabad, on 23.02.2022 and were remanded to 14 days Judicial Custody.

Further investigation in the case is underway.

Fraudulent Input Tax Credit: arrests for issuing fake invoices and wrongful ITC availed under CGST provisions. An Anti Evasion probe found five dummy firms issuing fake invoices for non existent supplies to generate and pass on fraudulent Input Tax Credit; two proprietors admitted availing and transmitting fraudulent ITC and acknowledged assessed GST liability. The conduct is treated as a cognizable, non bailable offence where the alleged tax fraud exceeds the statutory threshold, and the accused were arrested and remanded to judicial custody while further investigation continues.