Punjab Vigilance Bureau unearths tax evasion racket, arrests five

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 24

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has exposed a tax evasion scam relating to transportation of commercial goods without paying any tax through Haryana and Delhi

allegedly in connivance with officials of the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department. The scam resulted in a huge loss to the state exchequer.

A case has been registered against the owner of Delhi Malwa Transport Company, his son, three drivers, one agent, along with officials of the taxation department. Taking swift action in the case, the son of the transport company's owner, three drivers and one agent have been arrested by the VB's Bathinda unit.

Disclosing this here today, a VB spokesperson said after getting a tip-off, the bureau formed three teams that searched vehicles carrying commercial goods at Bathinda. It was found that some of the goods loaded on three vehicles were being brought in Punjab without bills and paying taxes. After a preliminary investigation, a case has been registered under Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC at the VB police station in Bathinda.

The spokesperson said Mandeep Singh, the son of the owner of the transport company, and three drivers Sanjay Kumar, Gurdas Singh and Jagsir Singh had been arrested. The company owner, Jagsir Singh, was absconding and would be arrested soon, he said, adding that the role of employees concerned of the taxation department would also be probed.

Officials’ role under lens

In the scam, commercial goods were being transported through Haryana and Delhi allegedly in connivance with officials of the Excise and Taxation Department. The transporters did not pay any tax, resulting in a loss to the state exchequer. The role of the employees concerned will be investigated, a spokesperson said

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