Chandigarh: No respite for accused in Rs 115-crore GST fraud case

Tribune news service

Advertisement

Chandigarh, August 4

A local court here has dismissed the bail application of Sahil Garg, who has been accused of GST fraud amounting to Rs 115 crore.

Garg was arrested following a complaint by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence.

The complaint has been filed under Section 132 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 read with Section 20(XV) of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.

As per the complaint, Garg had allegedly generated fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC) by creating fake firms and used invoices in the name of bogus firms for passing on inadmissible ITC of more than Rs 115 crore without actual supply of any goods from such firms.

The counsel of the accused argued that Garg had been detained illegally by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence and was forced to sign computerised statements to rope him in the case.

The officials of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence searched the residential premises of the accused and forcibly took him away to their office on June 17, said the counsel.

Meanwhile, the standing counsel for the respondent vehemently argued that Garg was a mastermind in the case and generated invoices by making bogus firms and passed on illegal Input Tax Credit, amounting to Rs 115 crore, to end users/beneficiaries which resulted into huge loss to government exchequer.

After hearings the arguments, the court dismissed Garg’s bail application saying that the “allegations against the applicant are grave in nature”.