Anti-Evasion Team of CGST officials bust racket of illegal fire-crackers; Seized Rs.51 lakh

The Anti-Evasion Branch, CGST Commissionerate Faridabad, Panchkula CGST Zone, received an information that M/s R. P. Enterprises having its registered principal place of business at village-Baghola, District Palwal, Haryana and additional premises at Sihi Gate, Ballabhgarh, Haryana, is engaged in purchase and sale of fire crackers without invoice. Accordingly, the Anti-Evasion Branch, CGST Commissionerate Faridabad, conducted simultaneous searches under Section 67 (2) of the CGST Act, 2017 on the 12th October, 2022, which continued for whole night.

The primary registered principal place of business in the hamlet of Baghola, district of Palwal, Haryana, was a sizable building with 21 godowns that was inaccessible and marooned in water that was snake-infested and without electricity. Due to the lack of a motorable road and the area’s extreme flooding, it was extremely challenging for the Anti-Evasion Officers to arrive at the location. They had to use tractors.

Anti-Evasion Officers found the said premises full of fire-crackers worth crores, which has been seized and the premises have been sealed. In addition, the officers have also seized an unaccounted cash amount of Rs Fifty Lakhs Eighty Eight Thousand (50.88 Lakhs) along with lots of “Katcchi Parchi and other documents” indicating towards large scale evasion of GST. Quantification of GST evaded and further investigations are underway.

It is important to note that, starting on October 10, 2022, the Haryana Government has been instructed to forbid the production, sale, and use of any firecrackers other than green crackers in accordance with recent orders from the Hon’ble Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT).

This search operation has once again proved that CBIC and its arms like DRI, DGGI, Anti-Evasion Branches etc are very pro-actively preventing not only tax evasion but also protecting the environment of the country. Following this tradition, the Anti-Evasion Branch, CGST Commissionerate Faridabad, has very diligently discharged its duty as “Green Warriors” also.