The sales tax department has lodged complaints with the police against nine dealers for failing to file returns under the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Act, 2002, within the stipulated time. The action was initiated recently, and the department has said that similar action will be taken against other defaulters.

An official from the sales tax department said, "It is the strictest action taken in the last few years. All the nine dealers were regular defaulters. We have been advising the dealers to file their returns regularly and within the stipulated time to avoid any action being taken against them."

As per the Act, the dealers are supposed to file the returns periodically - which is monthly, quarterly and six-monthly - depending on the declaration of the individual dealer. Of the nine dealers booked, seven have failed to file the quarterly returns, while two have not filed their six-monthly returns, the official said.

According to sources from the department, cases of not filing the returns in time have gone up in the city. Taking a serious cognizance of this, the department has now prepared a list of defaulters, and is planning to take strict action against them. As per the Act, non-filing of returns is a punishable offence with six months of simple imprisonment and a fine.