The excise and taxation department has lodged an FIR against a Ludhiana firm for trying to defraud the state by making bogus entries of inter-state sale of scrap amounting to Rs. 23 crore. Confirming this, excise and taxation commissioner Anurag Verma said they had received information

that Krishna Ispat Udyog, Ludhiana, was selling scrap in the state, but in order to escape the 6.05% VAT was showing bogus sale of scrap to firms located in Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. For this purpose, he was getting bogus entries of goods made at the information collection centres (ICCs), Ghanauli, Balongi, Moonak and Zirakpur.
Following a tip-off, the assistant excise and taxation commissioner, mobile wing, Chandigarh, inquired into the matter. During the inquiry, the excise and taxation officer, incharge of multi-purpose barrier, Kala Amb, vide his letter dated May 28, said the firms to which Krishna Ispat Udyog had purportedly sent the material, namely, HM Steel Corporation, Kala Amb, and Hari Om Steel, Kala Amb, were not even registered with the excise department, Himachal Pradesh.

Similarly, Krishna Ispat Udyog had shown sales to Timco Steel Company, Nalagarh, but its managing partner Avtar Singh gave an affidavit denying having any transaction with the firm. Similarly, Krishna Ispat Udoyg had shown sales to Atul Casting, Nalagarh, but Suresh Kumar, director of Atul Casting, gave an affidavit saying they had not bought any goods from Krishna Ispat Udyog.

The premises of Krishna Ispat Udyog were raided but it was found that the firm does not exist at the address given with the department. So, it was established beyond doubt that no actual movement of goods had taken place.

Verma said that in the inquiry it was found that certain inspectors of the department had connived with the dealer in making bogus entries regarding passage of goods at the ICCs.

Prem Singh, excise and taxation inspector, ICC, Ghanauli, was found to have made 165 entries and has been placed under suspension. Rajinder Kumar, excise and taxation inspector, ICC, Balongi, was found to have made 106 bogus entries and has been transferred to Fazilka.

He said the police would trace the owner of the firm and would prosecute him for causing loss to the state exchequer. A chargesheet has been issued to the inspectors of the department.