Distress for Ambur Leather Worker as GST Notice of Rs 2.39 Crore Arrives
Rani Babu, a 58-year-old housekeeper residing in Ambur, is facing significant distress following the receipt of a GST notice amounting to Rs 2.39 crore from the Commercial Taxes Department, Palakkarai Assessment Circle, Tiruchy. Employed at a local leather company, she earns a modest monthly income of Rs 9,000. Rani lives with her grandchildren in a rented home in Krishnavaram, while her son, B Shankar, 40, also contributes to the household with his earnings from a shoe sole manufacturing company, which is similarly limited to Rs 9,000 per month.
In response to this alarming notice, Rani and her son are planning to lodge a complaint at the Superintendent of Police office in Tirupattur. The notice identifies Rani as the proprietor of a business called Modern Enterprises, purportedly located at “1/81, Malaipatti Manapparai Road, Kallikudy North, Tiruchi, with GSTIN 33FEPPR4120N1Z1.”
Concerns have been raised as multiple incidents in Ambur and Vaniyambadi reveal that the Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and bank accounts of daily wagers and housewives are being misappropriated for the operation of companies engaging in GST evasion. Tirupattur SP Shreya Gupta has stated that the district crime branch is currently investigating these matters in conjunction with the cyber crime wing. We have yet to receive a complaint regarding Rani’s situation. Once we do, we will initiate an investigation,” she confirmed.
Regarding other similar cases, Gupta noted that some investigations span back four to five years, causing delays in resolution. We need to trace high-volume transactions and work backwards. In one instance, there were 50 suspects. This appears to be a coordinated effort among multiple individuals rather than a single group, and we expect to resolve one case within a month,” she added.
A member of the district cyber crime wing explained that the complexity of these investigations arises from the fact that email addresses, phone numbers, and bank accounts tied to a company often belong to various individuals. Moreover, there are instances where affected individuals willingly share their personal information in exchange for monetary promises related to community welfare schemes. Since GST registration is fully online, this information can be easily misused,” they emphasized.