The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Thane city police booked owners of a fake firm which had allegedly issued fake bills to traders, who in turn got value added tax (VAT) benefits and thus cheated the Sales Tax department to the tune of Rs 2.62 crores, the police said here today.
API Suresh Kadam of the EOW of the Crime Unit of the Thane police said that the accused who were allegedly involved in the racket have been charged under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 474 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code and also Sections 74(1)(b)(c)(f), (2(4) and (5) of the Maharashtra Value Added Taxes, 2002.
The police officer said that offences have been registered at the Shil-Daighar police station against properitors of K K Enterprises who were identified as Kamal Jamin Ahmed, Mohamad Akram Qureshi and Ketan Shah, besieds a number of traders as well as businessmen who received VAT benefits through the racket.
According to a complaint by Assistant Commissioner of Sales Tax Santosh Mirgal of the Vigilance Wing of the Sales Tax Department, the fake firm issued fake bills to traders between the period April 2008 and March 2010, based on which they availed of tax benefits, the police said.
The total amount involved in the entire racket was to the tune of Rs 2,62,42,014, the police officer said and added that a probe into the case is in progress, though no arrest has been made so far.
