Three accused, namely Amit Kumar Jha, Ajay Kumar Yadav & Chandan Kumar arrested in Guwahati (Photo: AT)

Guwahati, June 16: The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam has dismantled an alleged interstate scheme involving fake Input Tax Credit (ITC) linked to the bitumen industry, resulting in the arrest of eight individuals during synchronized operations in Guwahati, Kolkata, and Patna.

The arrested individuals include Amit Kumar Jha, Ajay Kumar Yadav, and Chandan Kumar from Guwahati; Deepak Shaw and Rajendra Shaw from Kolkata; and Sahina Sultana, Shahbaz Haider, and Md. Naushad from Patna.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Pranab Kumar Pegu, Senior Superintendent of Police (Vigilance and Anti-Corruption-North) and Superintendent of Police for STF Assam, stated that the operation was initiated following reports of a fraudulent ITC network operating in Assam and other states.

"Upon receiving complaints, we commenced an investigation that led to the identification of those involved in the scheme. Coordinated operations were executed in Guwahati, Patna, and Kolkata on June 14 and 15, resulting in the apprehension of eight suspects," Pegu explained.

According to Pegu, the fraudulent activities allowed the accused to claim ITC amounting to Rs 21.06 crore from the financial years 2021-22 to 2025-26, with total liabilities, including interest and penalties, estimated at around Rs 47.71 crore.

The joint operation, conducted by the STF and the State GST Department, revealed a sophisticated network that allegedly exploited GST benefits through fake invoices, fictitious e-way bills, and forged documents without any actual goods movement.

STF officials noted that the suspects were linked to three bitumen companies: Assam Bitumen, Barrel Bitumen, and AIDA Bitumex, which are currently under scrutiny for their involvement in these fraudulent activities.

"The network had a nationwide reach, with all suspects connected to the three bitumen firms. Most of them hail from Bihar and Kolkata," Pegu added, highlighting that this operation represents the STF's first GST enforcement action outside Assam.

The STF anticipates that the investigation will expand further. "There are numerous other local and non-local individuals implicated in the scam in Guwahati," Pegu stated.

Describing the alleged methods used, Pegu mentioned that the racket primarily operated between the financial years 2021-22 and 2025-26, generating fake invoices and e-way bills to unlawfully claim tax credits on non-existent transactions.

"According to STF case number G02/2026, the scam was predominantly active during the financial years 2021-22 and 2025-26. The misuse of the Input Tax Credit system involved the creation of fake invoices and e-way bills to claim improper tax credits," he noted.

The investigation revealed that these fraudulent invoices and e-way bills were created in the names of non-existent taxpayers and entities whose GST registrations had been revoked.

Officials confirmed that three of the eight arrested individuals are owners of the firms currently under investigation.

"Of the eight individuals detained, the three arrested in Guwahati were presented before the appropriate court, which granted a seven-day police remand for further inquiry," an STF statement indicated.

The STF emphasized that the investigation is ongoing, focusing on identifying more individuals and entities associated with the network, dismantling the larger syndicate, and preventing further financial losses to the government.