Man claims ₹5 crore in GST returns for bogus firm

A Navi Mumbai man was booked for setting up a fake export firm and claiming Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns of ₹5.04 crore. The Economic Offences Wing is investigating the case.

According to the police, the accused, Prashant Kokane, set up a firm named PK International, as an import and export firm. Kokane registered his firm on the GST website in July 2018. The GST department in May last year started looking into the returns claims by Kokane.

“Between September 2018 and February last year, Kokane’s firm had claimed ₹5.04 crore in GST returns,” said a crime branch officer. While registering his firm, Kokane had given a Kopar Khairane address. The officials later found out that Kokane lived elsewhere.

The officers visited the second location and learnt that Kokane had vacated the flat eight days ago. When the team inquired at the Vashi-registered firm, they found that Kokane had rented out the place for a short while.

“The accused did not conduct the business there for which he claimed the GST returns. Through the director general of foreign trade, the GST department came to know that only one shipping detail was available with the department and various other returns were claimed,” the officer added.

It was also then established that PK International did not conduct any business with any companies abroad against which the firm claimed GST returns. Following an inquiry, a case of cheating was registered against Kokane on Monday.