Excise & Taxation Department Punjab lodges FIR against Harish Kumar of Amritsar

Patiala, January 6: Excise & Taxation Department, Punjab has lodged an FIR against one Sh. Harish Kumar of Amritsar for having played fraud with the Government by importing cement worth Rs.4.4 crores from Pakistan in the name of a Delhi firm. Confirming this, Anurag Verma, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Punjab said that in order to check tax evasion, the Department has started seeking cooperation from Central Government agencies. Data was sought from Customs authorities at Attari regarding cement imported from Pakistan. Scrutiny of the data revealed that cement worth Rs.4.4 crores had been imported and purchased in the name of M/s.Kartika International, Delhi.
Verma said that when goods destined to be sold in some other State, pass through Punjab, a transit entry (Behti) is required to be made. When it was checked in the computer data base, it was found that Behtis were got generated from ICC, Railway Station, Amritsar, for only 9 vehicles amounting to Rs. 16,06,000. Verma said that verification was made from the offices of the District Transport Officer, Amritsar and Jalandhar, regarding the above vehicles. Shockingly, out of the six vehicles registered in Punjab, three registration numbers PB02-BB-9488, PB02-P-9788, PB02-B-9917, have been allotted to auto rickshaws and one registration number PB08-G-9944 has been allotted to Maruti passenger car. For the remaining amount i.e. Rs.4.24 crore, the dealer did not even generate any transit entry.
Verma added that Customs authorities also shared a copy of statement made before them u/s 108 of Customs Act, 1962,  by the President, Truck Union, Attari in which he clearly stated that the goods  imported from Pakistan have been delivered in Punjab only. Goods sent in the name of M/s Kartika International, Delhi, were actually delivered within the State of Punjab. Further enquires were made from Custom authorities, ICP, Attari, as to who had taken delivery of the material in the name of this firm. Scrutiny of these documents revealed that the delivery had been taken by Harish Kumar. As per statement of Clearing House Agent (CHA) Manav Taneja, recorded by the Customs authorities also reveal that imports in the name of the firm were done by Harish Kumar.
Verma said that to be doubly sure, a team was sent to Delhi. Information regarding interstate purchases shown by M/s Kartika International, Delhi, TIN-07940451393, was obtained from the AVATO, Ward 64, Department of Trade & Taxes, New Delhi. Returns for the period 01.11.2012 to 30.06.2013, filed by the dealer reveals that it had made no purchases via Attari. The dealer has not filed any return for the period 01.07.13 to 30.09.13.  Thus, it was proved that Harish Kumar had imported the cement but fraudulently shown the imports in the name of M/s.Kartika International. If these purchases had been accounted for by Harish Kumar, he would have been required to pay the tax to the tune of Rs.62.62 lakhs, on sales thereof.  Now, in addition to the due tax, he will be liable to pay penalty of 200%.
In the light of above, an FIR has been lodged against Harish Kumar, R/o 65/534, Gopal Nagar, Majitha Road, Amritsar under Section 420, 467, 468, 120-B of the IPC & any other relevant provisions for causing huge loss to the State exchequer.// punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news,