In a GST evasion case, Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday arrested a main passer — Rajinder Singh Sodhi alias Lovely from Ambala (Haryana) — recovering Rs 21 lakh cash during the house search.
Sodhi was wanted in a case related to causing a huge loss to the state exchequer for evasion of GST in connivance with the Excise and Taxation officers in the State, said a spokesperson of the State Vigilance Bureau (VB), adding that an FIR, dated August 21, 2020, under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 7, 7(A) and 8 of Prevention of Corruption Act had already been registered at VB flying squad-I, police station at Mohali.
Sharing more details, the spokesperson informed that the case was registered against Punjab GST/Excise and Taxation officials and passers or mediators for being complicit for causing a huge loss to the state exchequer through provision of escape routes to passers for evasion of GST as well as imposing a lesser amount of penalty during checking of vehicles carrying unfinished (iron scrap) and finished goods.
Spokesperson informed that during investigation of the case, some officers of Excise and Taxation Department and Passers have already been arrested. “These passers or mediators gave hefty bribes on monthly basis to the Department officials for this purpose,” added the spokesperson.
It was further revealed that after the arrest of passer Sodhi, the VB team made a house search of the accused, during which, the Vigilance team recovered huge cash amounting to Rs 21,65,241 in the presence of witnesses, which would be further probed during investigation.
VB had obtained Sodhi’s six-day police remand from the competent court for further investigation in the case.