PATNA: The commercial taxes department (CTD) has detected tax evasion on a large scale by several private firms in the state. On May 19, an iron scrap unit in Patna was inspected on the instruction of department’s commissioner-cum-secretary Dr Pratima. Similarly, two firms in Patna, one each in Muzaffarpur, Barh and Madhubani were inspected on May 20 in which evasion of crores of rupees was detected.
A CTD official said during revenue gap analysis by the central investigation bureau of CTD, it was found that bogus firms were transporting scrap by generating e-way bills of crores of rupees without paying tax for the same. “In gap analysis, its point of origin was traced. It was found that a big dealer of Patna was selling goods without issuing any valid invoice with an intent of tax evasion. The firm had shown turnover of only Rs 22 lakh, but the inspection revealed unaccounted sales of around Rs 17 crore by it during the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22,” the department said on Saturday.
It added, “The other five firms, which deal with bitumen, iron steel and coal, two were found to be non-existent at their principal places of business and three appeared to be involved in bill trading.” Dr Pratima said the department would take stringent action against the main beneficiaries of the firms involved in the syndicate or chain related to these firms and would recover the evaded tax.
