E-way bill theft worth Rs 60 lakh caught

Aurangabad, July 15:

Even though the central government introduced the e-way bill to ensure that goods being transported comply with the GST law, the cases of tax evasion do not seem to be decreasing. State Goods and Services Tax commissioner G Srikant himself took to the streets to check e-way bills and in the last 6 days seized 50 trucks and collected a fine of Rs 60 lakh from them for tax evasion.

The state GST officials are taking action on toll plazas on various roads in the city. The documents of 14,000 freight vehicles were examined. Out of them, e-way bills were not found with 50 truck owners. They were penalized. Deputy commissioner Ravindra Jogdand, assistant commissioner Makrand Kankal, Madhav Kumbharwad, Dhananjay Deshmukh, Tushar Gawde along with 24 officers, 87 inspectors and tax officials had taken to the streets. The surprise drive will also continue for the next few days. The officials have appealed to the traders to comply with the GST law and carry the e-way bill always while transporting goods. Traders who fail to comply with the rules will be heavily penalized.