Kamrup (Metro) court denies bail to the prime accused as Assam GST Department expands probe into alleged fake invoicing and fraudulent input tax credit claims
Guwahati: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court in Assam’s Kamrup (Metro) on Friday remanded Trishna Barman, the prime accused in the alleged Rs 25 crore Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud case, to 14 days’ judicial custody after rejecting her bail application.
Barman, who was arrested in West Bengal and brought to Guwahati on transit remand, was produced before the court as the Assam Goods and Services Tax (GST) Department intensified its investigation into the alleged multi-crore tax fraud. Officials said investigators are likely to question her further to establish the full extent of the alleged scam and identify all those involved.
According to the investigation, Barman and her brother, Surajit Barman, allegedly floated multiple bogus GST-registered firms that issued fake invoices in exchange for commissions, enabling fraudulent ITC claims without any actual supply of goods or services.
The probe has also brought Kolkata resident Shubhrajit Bhattacharya under the scanner for his alleged involvement in the fake invoicing network.
GST officials said the racket involved several fictitious firms that facilitated fraudulent ITC claims exceeding Rs 25 crore, resulting in substantial losses to the Assam government. Investigators suspect the operation extended beyond Assam and may have been part of a larger interstate network.
The investigation is continuing as officials trace the money trail and examine the overall scale of the alleged fraud.
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