The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a major crackdown in a case involving bogus GST refund claims amounting to nearly Rs 100 crore, allegedly orchestrated through fake export bills.
On Friday, the central agency carried out searches across seven locations in Bihar and Jharkhand, including Patna, Purnea, Jamshedpur, Nalanda, and Munger.
According to the FIR, the scam involves senior officials of the Customs Department, including the then Additional Commissioner, Customs, Patna, Shri Ranvijay Kumar along with four other former Superintendents, some of whom are now serving as Assistant Commissioners.
They allegedly, said the CBI, colluded with a private G-card holder, multiple exporter and importer firms, and unknown others to fraudulently claim tax refunds.
The accused are alleged to have conspired to show fake exports of tiles and automobile parts through Land Customs Stations (LCS) at Bhimnagar, Jaynagar, and Bhittamore, said the agency.
The documentation was purportedly used to fraudulently obtain GST refunds from the jurisdictional GST offices, the CBI added.
During the searches, officials recovered 7 gold bars of 100 grams each, several incriminating documents, and mobile phones linked to the case.
The CBI has registered a case under sections related to criminal conspiracy and corruption.
Investigation is underway to trace the money trail and establish the full scale of the alleged fraudulent network.
