Ranchi, Aug 7
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched a fresh crackdown in the Rs 800 crore Goods and Services Tax (GST) scam, conducting raids at six locations across Ranchi.
The raids target individuals linked to Kolkata-based Shiv Kumar Deora, believed to be the mastermind behind the multi-crore scam.
One of the key premises searched includes the residence-cum-office of businessman Krishna Thakkar on the fourth floor of Krishna Apartment in the P.P. Compound area, a major residential and commercial hub in Ranchi. Simultaneous operations are underway at five other locations in the city.
Sources indicate that coordinated raids are also being carried out at locations in Kolkata and Mumbai. This fresh round of enforcement action follows evidence and documents gathered during the first phase of the investigation.
Earlier, the ED had arrested several individuals in connection with the scam, including Vicky Bhalotia of Jugsalai (Jamshedpur), Gyanchandra Jaiswal alias Bablu Jaiswal, Kolkata businessman Shiv Kumar Deora, Amit Gupta, and Sumit Gupta.
The investigation revealed that the accused operated a network of shell companies to generate fake invoices and claim Input Tax Credit (ITC) without conducting any actual business. This fraudulent mechanism was used to evade taxes on a massive scale.