Gutkha baron Wadhwani siphoned GST money to Pakistan, Dubai, court told

Indore

The Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGI) on Thursday told a local court that it apprehended that Rs 233 crore siphoned through tax evasion by 'gutkha baron' Kishore Wadhwani has been illegally transferred to Pakistan and Dubai.

The central agency investigating the case of GST evasion of GST through illegal trading of pan masala and tobacco products presented the scam's 'mastermind' Wadhwani and his alleged accomplices before Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Anupriya Parashar under strict security arrangement.

The court allowed the agencies' request for remand till June 22.

Wadhwani, 55, of Indore was arrested from a hotel in Mumbai on Monday by the DGGI as part of "Operation Cancer" related to the revelations of massive evasion of Goods and Services Tax (GST). He was brought to Indore in transit custody. DGGI Special Public Prosecutor Chandan Aron pleaded for Wadhwani's remand.

The prosecution told the court that Wadhwani is the prime conspirator of the inter-state GST evasion case and the main recipient of illegal benefits of tax evasion. Aron argued that the central agency has to investigate and gather evidence on the clues that the money has been sent to Pakistan and Dubai.

The court was told that Wadhwani has a United Arab Emirates residence visa and has also invested in the hotel business in Dubai.

Wadhwani's lawyers claimed that all allegations against him were false and said he had nothing to do with the GST theft.

The prosecution said Wadhwani had declared herself infected with Covid-19 during transit custody in Mumbai. But on examination, his claim was proved false.

Pakistani citizen Sanjay Mata had, with his family, sought refuge in India. He, along with three local operatives - Vijay Kumar Nair, Ashok Kumar Daga and Amit Kumar Bothra, have been accused of large scale manipulation siphoning of GST money.

The DGGI and DRI recently exposed the GST scam of illegal manufacturing, smuggling and selling of pan masala and tobacco products after raids at several locations in Indore and Ujjain. The alleged fraud was carried out through dummy companies.