Mumbai: Businessman Arrested for Defrauding State Government of Rs 1.5 Crore

In a major breakthrough, the Dindoshi Police have arrested a businessman who was wanted in connection with a tax evasion case amounting to approximately ₹1.5 crores. The businessman, Sunil Malhar Rao Pandey, is the owner of Malhar Shanti Enterprises. Pandey had been on the run for the past eight months, but police finally managed to apprehend him.

The case came to light when Sachin Shivaji Chikhale, an Assistant Sales Tax Commissioner residing in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, started investigating tax evasion by several private companies as part of a special government campaign against tax fraud. During the investigation, the Sales Tax office in Mazgaon received information about Malhar Shanti Enterprises, a private company located in Santosh Nagar, Goregaon, which had allegedly defrauded the government of crores of rupees.

Following the complaint, Sachin Chikhale was directed by his superiors to conduct an inquiry. The investigation revealed that the owner of the company was Sunil Pandey, who was engaged in the business of trading materials and goods used in construction. After selling these goods, Pandey was required to pay the applicable tax to the Sales Tax Department. However, instead of fulfilling his tax obligations, Pandey defrauded the government by failing to remit the tax amounts.

The investigation estimated that the government was owed ₹1.47 crores in taxes from the company. Despite repeated notices, the company failed to make the necessary payments. When no response was received, the government froze the company’s bank accounts. Sachin Chikhale, along with a colleague, visited the company premises, but they were unable to find Sunil Pandey.

Further investigation revealed that Pandey had stopped coming to the office. The office space was owned by Arun Dattatreya Kudalakar, and Pandey had leased it. Despite being issued a show-cause notice, Pandey did not respond. He had allegedly embezzled around ₹1.5 crores in taxes, prompting Sachin Chikhale to file a formal complaint with the Dindoshi Police Station.

Following the complaint, a case of embezzlement and fraud under the Maharashtra Value Added Act was registered against Sunil Pandey. After the case was filed, Pandey went into hiding. However, the Dindoshi Police launched a special operation to track him down, and a dedicated police team was able to arrest him. Pandey was subsequently produced before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.