In a major breakthrough after five months of investigation, the Directorate-General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) Pune Zonal Unit (PZU) has secured the custody of Virendra H. Kumar, one of the key masterminds behind a Rs167 crore GST fraud. The 26-year-old accused was arrested on September 13 in Barmer district, Rajasthan, after being on the run for months.
Kumar, who had been evading arrest by changing his identity and contact information, was tracked down using advanced tech surveillance and investigative techniques. Following his capture, Kumar was transported to Pune, where he was produced before a local court and granted police custody until September 27, after which he was remanded to Yerawada Central Jail. Authorities are continuing their investigations into the scam, which involved a massive network of bogus firms.
Kumar and his associate, Rahul Kumar, were responsible for running a large syndicate involving over 50 fake companies across multiple states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. Using fake documents, morphed identities, and forged legal papers, the duo orchestrated a complex operation that involved passing Input Tax Credit (ITC) without any actual supply of goods or services.
The fraud was unearthed in May 2024 by the DGGI PZU, after extensive analysis of GST filings and bank transactions. The DGGI sleuths found that the syndicate was using fraudulent Aadhar cards, forged SIM cards, and fake identities to file GST registrations, returns, and payments, bypassing critical security features like biometric verification.
Despite being on the run for several months, Kumar’s movements were closely monitored by the DGGI. The agency used phone call detail records (CDRs), customer application forms (CAFs), and patterns of GST filings to track him down. The investigation revealed that Kumar and his associates operated in multiple states, creating a complex web of bogus firms to evade taxes and commit fraud.
Once the fraud was detected, the DGGI intensified its efforts, leading to a dramatic Bollywood-style chase that ultimately resulted in Kumar’s capture in Barmer, Rajasthan.
With Kumar now in custody, the DGGI is questioning him to unravel the full extent of the scam. Officials are working to uncover more fake firms that may have been created, track the beneficiaries of the fraud, and recover the illicit proceeds. The authorities are also looking into the involvement of other associates in the racket.
