BANGALORE: Officials of the Commercial Taxes Department recently raided many premises of a dealer in plywood, who has been allegedly using fake C-Forms to avoid paying taxes on consignments being brought into the State. A case has been filed against Hanuman K. Bishnoi and it has been transferred to the Police (Central Crime Branch) for investigation.

Commissioner for Commercial Taxes B.A. Harish Gowda told presspersons here on Tuesday that when a team led by N.R. Nanaiah, Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Intelligence) raided the "offices" located in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in August; they seized tax invoices and other documents in the name of several fictitious firms. It was found that these firms brought plywood from Kerala, Rajasthan, Haryana and Tamil Nadu and avoided paying first point tax, which was at the rate of 12.5 per cent, and subsequently, made local sales.

, Mr Harish Gowda said.

Joint Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Intelligence) S. Dayashankar said apart from these forms, seals of 21 bogus firms, invoice numbering machines, bank cheque books have also been seized. Mr. Gowda said the Department had initiated criminal proceedings against these dealers and their teams, since the demand for plywood in Bangalore had increased.

In November, the Department officials who routinely make "test purchases" at commercial establishments to ensure that bills are being issued to customers, have done 182 such purchases. Of this, no bills were issued in 129 cases (or 68 per cent). Penalties to the tune of Rs. 2.61 lakh have been levied for this offence, Mr Gowda added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail