Pay Rs 79-cr GST dues to operate bank accounts, HC tells ByteDance

The indirect taxes department has accused ByteDance of evading taxes and not paying its GST dues in full, a charge denied by the Chinese firm

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed Chinese firm ByteDance to operate its Indian bank accounts, frozen by the Goods and Services Tax (GST) auth­orities over alleged tax ev­a­sion, after depositing a sum of Rs 78.91 crore in a state-run bank.
 
The four blocked bank accounts of the TikTok parent, however, held insufficient funds to pay the amount, according to its court filing.
 
A Bench of Justices SP Deshmukh and Abhay Ahuja said ByteDance said the company could operate its other Indian bank accounts and utilise the remaining funds, after dep­ositing Rs 78.91 crore in any nationalised bank.