A 60-year-old businessman from Thane has reportedly been defrauded of Rs 4.5 crore in a sophisticated GST evasion scheme involving identity theft and misuse of company credentials, according to the police.
Authorities have registered a case against an individual identified as Salman under sections 318(4) (cheating), 336 (forgery) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. The accused allegedly impersonated a potential buyer and gained access to the victim's company documents, GST number and password in December 2024.
According to police officials, Salman manipulated the GST portal credentials by changing the registered email ID and mobile number, thereby taking full control of the company's GST account. He then used forged documents to carry out transactions worth Rs 25 crore under the victim's company name, without remitting the applicable GST amount of Rs 4.5 crore to the government.
The fraud came to light when the complainant noticed irregularities in his GST filings and approached the police. A case has been lodged and investigations are underway. No arrests have been made so far.
Tax authorities are also likely to probe the misuse of GST credentials and how the portal's security was bypassed. The incident highlights the increasing threat of cyber-enabled GST fraud and the urgent need for businesses to safeguard their tax login information.
CAclubindia
