GST officer himself got a wrong refund of Rs 4.7 crore by creating a fake company

Mumbai – The Anti -Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday registered a case against a former sales tax officer of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department for allegedly presenting fake documents of a fake company and cheating Rs 25 lakh. A case has been registered for obtaining a tax refund of more than Rs 4.69 crore. According to ACB officials, an officer named Gajanan Lad, who retired in 2024, obtained GST refund using a fake company in Kurla with unknown persons.

According to officials in this regard, Lade along with his colleagues allegedly formed a company called Intercrib Market (APC) Private Limited. An application was filed against Ltd., seeking a return to the tax paid by him. Giving detailed information in this regard, an official said that between June 2021 and February 2022, some unknown persons submitted fake documents and refund applications. Because he misused his post in the GST department to approve the application. Through which the company was given a refund of Rs 4.69 crore.

However, in 2022 itself, senior GST officials started investigating the matter when it was discovered that several fake companies were being used to get the refund. Then, in early 2024, GST officials approached the State ACB headquarters in Worli. The agency then started the investigation. In which the role of Lad was revealed. After the agency obtained evidence against Lad, a case was registered against it under the related sections of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act as well as fraud, forgery and conspiracy.

Giving more information on the case, an official said, “We have not yet arrested the accused, because further investigation of the case is still going on.” We are trying to find out whether Lad got a bribe to approve the return of money or is he the mastermind of the entire crime itself.