Guwahati: Coke plant owner arrested for evading Rs 200-cr GST

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Shiv Kumar Mittal, owner of GM Coke in Byrnihat, Meghalaya, landed in the net of the Guwahati Zonal Unit of Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), an enforcement wing of Central GST, for alleged evasion of taxes amounting to over Rs 200 crore.

Sleuths from DGGI picked up Mittal from Tinsukia on Saturday and placed him under arrest after sustained investigations uncovered his links to illegal coke trade channels. According to officials, the GST evader sourced coke from different unauthorised plants in Meghalaya and used fake invoices, disguising the transactions.

Investigators in the case found that invoices exceeding Rs 150 crore were generated through dummy firms, a majority of which were registered under the names of individuals belonging to the economically disadvantaged section of society. This helped Mittal to hide actual purchases and evade tax liabilities of substantial amounts.

The arrest of this coke firm owner is linked to a wider crackdown into the racket of fake invoicing in the Northeast. Earlier this month, four people were arrested in Guwahati for running a massive false billing scam. Mittal’s role surfaced during detailed enquiries into that network, placing him at the centre of a ring of fraudulent traders.

DGGI officials confirmed that Mittal is in custody and being questioned intensively to identify other beneficiaries of the illegal coal and coke business conducted by outsiders in Meghalaya.

The DGGI said the case underscores its continuing crackdown on fake invoicing, tax evasion, and illicit trade networks operating in the region.

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