The Noida Police have arrested Suganya Prabhu, a 40-year-old businesswoman from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, for her alleged involvement in a massive Rs10,000-crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud. The arrest took place on Saturday at her residence, facilitated by the Crime Response Team of Noida Police in collaboration with local authorities in Tamil Nadu.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shakti Avasthy reported that the investigation began last year when Noida Police uncovered a gang accused of orchestrating the extensive GST fraud by registering thousands of companies under stolen or fake identities. These companies generated e-way bills and claimed input tax credits (ITC) from the government. To date, 45 individuals have been arrested in connection with this scam, which spans multiple states, including Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
Prabhu’s name surfaced during the investigation approximately three months ago, and she had been evading capture since then. Earlier this month, the Noida Police announced a Rs25,000 reward for information leading to her arrest, ultimately tracing her location to Tamil Nadu.
Reportedly a multimillionaire with a metal manufacturing factory, Prabhu’s net worth is estimated to be around Rs100 crore. She is accused of obtaining ITC from four fake shell companies, resulting in a loss of Rs14.2 crore to the government exchequer.
Prabhu has been booked under multiple charges, including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, as outlined in several sections of the Indian Penal Code. Following her arrest, she was presented in a local court and has been sent to judicial custody.
In a related note, the Noida Police invoked charges under the Gangster Act against 33 of the 45 individuals previously arrested in this ongoing GST fraud investigation.
