LUDHIANA: In a major development in the Rs 158.10 crore bogus billing case, two prominent businessmen of Ludhiana are now under the scanner of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Commissionerate, Ludhiana for their alleged role in the scam.
The development follows the arrest of an accused, Tarun Kumar Vidyarthi of Amroha in UP, who has reportedly made several startling revelations to the tax officials.
According to a highly-placed source in the department, Tarun has claimed that on October 3, 2019, he and another accused Rakesh Kumar who is partner in two of the three firms involved in the scam were allegedly kidnapped from Amroha and brought to Ludhiana by Raja Bhaiya and some bouncers and held captive for several days at a farmhouse located at Hambran Road, Ludhiana. The bouncers were allegedly arranged at the behest of an influential Ludhiana businessman and his associate, who are now under the commissionerate’s scanner.
LUDHIANA: On Wednesday, two accused in the Rs 158.10 crore bogus billing scam were sent to 14-day judicial custody till December 23 after the Central GST (CGST) commissionerate, Ludhiana, had arrested them and produced them in a Ludhiana court. In another development in this case, the hearing on the bail application of one of the other accused was adjourned till December 14. The CGST department has confirmed these developments.
Giving insight into the entire case Ashutosh Baranwal, principal commissioner, CGST commissionerate, Ludhiana, said, “Two more arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation into the Rs 158.10 crore bogus billing case, one of Tarun Kumar Vidyarthi, who created fake identities of partners Rajesh Kumar, alias Ajay Gupta, (already arrested), and second of Shreya Agarwal, who is partner in all three firms under investigation. Tarun turned out to be one of the key executors in the case of fraudulent availing of input tax credit by the three firms involved