Cyber police unearth Rs 75.48 crore GST fraud; probe underway

Thane, Nov 3 (PTI) The Thane cyber police have registered a case against a Mumbai resident and his associates for allegedly committing a Rs 75.48 crore GST fraud by misusing the credentials of a laptop sales service professional, officials said on Monday.

The alleged fraud was committed between November 2024 and April this year, an official said.

The 33-year-old laptop sales professional, in his police complaint filed on October 31, alleged that the accused gained his and his friend's trust and misused their user IDs and passwords for online GST filing.

They then submitted fake bills in the name of several shell (fake) companies against the GST numbers of the victims. This fraudulent activity created a false transaction volume of Rs 75,48,42,087, thereby defrauding the complainant, his friend and the government exchequer, the official said.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against the accused, a resident of Andheri in Mumbai, and his unidentified associates on charges of cheating, forgery and other offences, he said.

"This appears to be a sophisticated cyber and financial crime involving the misuse of confidential online credentials to file fraudulent GST claims. We are tracing the digital footprint and the financial trail of the shell companies," a cyber police official said. PTI COR GK