Dealer of Kerala fined with Rs. 1.86 Lakh for alleged GST Evasion in Plastic Cover Consignment

A trader of Kerala was put in a difficult situation on the evening of November 16, 2023, when GST (Goods and Services Tax) officials imposed a Rs. 1.86 lakh fine in connection with a shipment of plastic covers.

This event occurred near Kalamassery at Premier Junction, where the package was intercepted on its way from Maharashtra to Muvattupuzha. According to a report, the truck carrying the items was stopped overnight in front of the Kalamassery police station due to suspicions of tax evasion.

Closer inspection revealed that the confiscated package contained a mix of taxed and untaxed commodities. GST sources clarified that the penalty was enforced only on the untaxed portion of the cargo.

Despite GST officials‘ claims that they had turned over the package to Kalamassery health officials for further examination, health officials denied this, claiming they were totally unaware of any such handover.

According to sources from the health wing, “Forget about handing over the consignment, they haven’t even alerted us. We learned about it through the media. The truck, as far as we know, has already been released.”

Furthermore, the Kalamassery police department distanced itself from the situation, underlining that it was only the responsibility of the GST officials.