The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has apprehended Solapur-based lawyer Sajid Ahmed Sheikh for allegedly orchestrating a massive fake GST invoice racket worth over Rs. 100 crore.
Investigations by the DGGI revealed that Sheikh, a practicing advocate, had set up a complex network of 30 shell companies using counterfeit and fabricated documents. These entities were allegedly used to generate fake invoices for non-existent transactions in order to fraudulently avail Input Tax Credit (ITC), a senior GST official confirmed.
The accused has been placed in judicial custody for 14 days and has been lodged in Kalamba Central Jail.
Following intelligence inputs, DGGI officers conducted a raid at Sheikh’s office in Solapur, seizing several electronic devices including his computer and mobile phone. A forensic examination of these devices uncovered crucial evidence, prompting the agency to expand its investigation to 12 more suspected shell companies operating in the area.
Authorities believe that the scam may extend to multiple stakeholders, including traders, real estate developers, and jewellers, who could be complicit in the fraudulent ITC claims. The ongoing probe aims to unearth the full extent of this elaborate tax evasion racket.
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