Chandigarh: Accountant gets 3-yr jail in VAT scam case

A local court has sentenced Vikram Thakur, a resident of Punjab, to three-year imprisonment in a 13-year- old VAT scam. The CBI registered the case on June 1, 2012 under sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC. The accused defrauded the UT Excise and Taxation Department of Rs 24 lakh. As per the allegations, during 2010-11 and 2011-12, Thakur was engaged as accountant on behalf of 12 shops/firms dealing in jewellery items for

depositing VAT (value added tax) in authorised banks and submitting VAT returns to Excise and Taxation Department, Chandigarh, through Sampark Centres. But the accused fraudulently prepared fake and false payment receipts of VAT forging the signatures of the bank officials and illegally using the bank stamps, showing VAT deposit with the State Bank of India, SME Branch, Sector 17, Chandigarh. On the basis of the fake and fabricated VAT receipts, he submitted VAT returns to the Excise & Taxation Department through Sampark Centres on behalf of the 12 shops/firms.

Adopting this modus operandi, he cheated the department of Rs 24,85,685.

After hearing of the arguments, the court said the prosecution had duly proved the charges and the accused was held guilty for the commission of offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, IPC and convicted accordingly.

The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 4, 000 on the convict.