In a significant development, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Commissionerate has taken action against a sugar factory owned by BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde in Maharashtra's Beed district. Assets valued at Rs 19 crore have been seized due to alleged GST evasion on sugar sales.
GST officials had previously notified the Vaidyanath Cooperative Sugar Factory about suspected tax evasion. When they received no response, they initiated an inspection of the facility, commencing late Sunday night. Among the assets seized were the factory's boiler and other machinery
Pankaja Munde, in response to the action, revealed that she had inquired with GST authorities about the sudden move. However, she was informed that the action was taken based on higher directives.
Munde explained that the Vaidyanath Cooperative Sugar Factory had been operating at a loss for the past six to seven years. She mentioned that they had recently met Union Minister Amit Shah to discuss the precarious situation of sugar factories like theirs. The factory currently has a substantial loan of nearly Rs 250 crore, with around Rs 52 crore already paid.
Munde further disclosed that the factory had remained closed for several months and faced severe financial difficulties due to persistently low production since 2011, exacerbated by a drought spanning three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015.
It's worth noting that Pankaja Munde's relationship with the top leadership of the BJP has been strained since the passing of her father, Gopinath Munde, in 2014. In July, she had expressed concerns regarding political developments in Maharashtra and hinted at taking a significant step. This recent GST action against her sugar factory adds another layer of complexity to the political landscape in Maharashtra.