Mahesh Langa, Gujarat-based journalist with The Hindu, arrested in alleged GST fraud case

Police allege the GST fraud caused a nonaccomplishment to the authorities exchequer, with the accused availing and passing connected bogus ITC done fake bills. There are much than 220 benami firms acceptable up connected the ground of forged documents that were utilized successful the racket, the FIR alleges.

While Langa is not named successful the FIR, his relative Manojkumar Langa is named arsenic 1 of the proprietors of an Ahmedabad-based firm, DA Enterprise, successful which Langa’s woman is simply a partner, the constabulary person alleged. Neither Langa’s relative nor his woman person been arrested.

Also accused successful the lawsuit are Talala BJP MLA Bhagwan Barad’s lad Ajay, and his nephews Vijaykumar Kalabhai Barad and Ramesh Kalabhai Barad. According to police, they are listed arsenic proprietors of Veraval-based Aryan Associates. The MLA, erstwhile contacted, denied allegations of fraud.

On Monday, the Economic Offences Wing and the Special Operations Group, acting connected the DGGI complaint, had carried retired raids astatine 14 premises crossed 5 districts – Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Surat, Kheda and Bhavnagar.

According to the FIR, the alleged fraud is said to person been committed betwixt February 1 and May 1 past year. According to the FIR and constabulary officers, the premier accused successful the lawsuit is simply a steadfast called Dhruvi Enterprise, which allegedly created six firms from a azygous PAN utilizing the aforesaid telephone numbers and emails. The purpose was to avail ITC by showing transactions that were ne'er really done, constabulary say.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Sharad Singhal confirmed, “On the ground of the ailment filed by the DGGI, we recovered that the accused firms and their proprietors availed bogus ITC, which had fraudulently been passed connected to them by Dhruvi Enterprise.”

Ahmedabad metropolis Commissioner of Police Gyanender Singh Malik claimed “(Langa’s) woman is simply a manager successful 1 of the firms progressive successful the GST fraud”. “However, erstwhile the Crime Branch questioned her, she said she did not cognize thing astir immoderate specified institution oregon her sanction being utilized successful it. The constabulary past questioned Mahesh Langa and recovered that helium was the 1 who was handling the full firm,” helium alleged.

On Langa’s sanction not figuring successful the FIR, helium said, “Just due to the fact that his sanction is not determination successful the FIR does not mean Mahesh Langa is not an accused. His relation successful 1 of the companies came retired during the investigation, which is wherefore helium was placed nether apprehension by the Crime Branch.”

The Hindu spokesperson did not respond to requests for a comment.

Bhagwan Barad, the BJP MLA, meantime told The Indian Express, “We had bought robust done a institution and paid GST. That institution did not wage the GST and it turned retired to beryllium a fraudulent company.”

Barad said Aryan Associates is his nephew’s company, and since that conducted a transaction with the “fraud company”, constabulary person registered an offence.

“As the offence is registered, (police) are investigating. But determination is nary apprehension (of my lad oregon nephews)… Our institution is functional and it does enactment for the authorities itself… Our lawyers volition bash the indispensable process,” helium said.

Barad was elected to the Assembly from Talala constituency of Gir Somnath territory connected a Congress summons successful 2017. In March 2019, helium was convicted successful a 24-year-old lawsuit of amerciable limestone mining and disqualified. His conviction, however, was stayed by the Gujarat High Court and his disqualification was revoked by the Speaker.

In the tally up to the assembly elections, Barad resigned arsenic Congress MLA successful November 2022 and joined the BJP. The enactment fielded him from the aforesaid constituency successful the 2022 assembly elections, which helium won.

Others arrested by the Crime Branch connected Tuesday person been identified arsenic Aijaz, a Bhavnagar nonmigratory and a spouse successful a steadfast selling electrical sheet boards; Abdulkader, who is besides from Bhavnagar and is progressive successful the merchantability of sugarcane juice, readymade apparel and mattresses; and Jyotish Magan Gondaliya, a nonmigratory of Surat who owns a steadfast with his wife.