ED Conducts Fresh Searches in Gujarat GST Fraud Case Involving Alleged Benami Firm DA Enterprises
đź“… Date: October 29, 2024
đź“‚ Categories: #EnforcementDirectorate #GST #Fraud #Gujarat
⌛ Read Time: 4 Min
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its ongoing investigation into a nationwide GST fraud, conducted a second wave of searches on Sunday, covering seven premises in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Bhavnagar. The ED’s Ahmedabad Zonal Office reported seizing “incriminating documents” in connection with the suspected scam, which has allegedly caused significant revenue loss to the government.
Case Highlights:
Main Allegation: ED accuses Mahesh Langa, a senior assistant editor at The Hindu, of “controlling” M/s DA Enterprises, linked to benami and shell transactions used to claim fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC).
Background: The investigation builds on an FIR by the Gujarat Police’s Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch (DCB), initiated after a DGGI complaint against 220 shell companies suspected of orchestrating fake GST invoices and fraudulent tax claims.
Previous Searches: ED previously raided 23 locations across Gujarat, including entities linked to M/s Dhruvi Enterprises, suspected of creating fictitious documentation to fraudulently claim GST benefits.
Additional Context:
The ED’s intensified investigation comes amid calls from media bodies for an impartial inquiry, following Langa’s involvement in a separate case related to the theft of confidential Gujarat Maritime Board documents.
GSTFraud #EDSearches #BenamiTransactions #TaxEvasion #IndiaNews
