In an overnight swoop across multiple locations in Telangana, officials of the Goods and Sales Tax (GST) Department detained hundreds of goods vehicles for dodging tax.
“Yes. We have stopped, verified and penalised a number of transporters for non-compliance with GST norms and lacking waybills. For four months we have been going easy as we don’t want to resort to tax terrorism. We have been carrying out random checks. But yesterday night, our officers and staff were deployed at a number of transit points in the State for checking documents. The operation lasted from 8 p.m. on Wednesday night to 8 a.m. on Thursday morning,” informed a tax official of Commercial Tax Department.
Instead of just enforcement wing, officers from all sections were drafted by the department for carrying out the operation. Officials were unwilling to share details about the monies to be realised from the first big operation to shore up tax revenue in the State. While many of the vehicles have been detained on location with the help of police, others were moved to the vicinity of commercial tax offices. Caught in the tax mess were a number of truckers and drivers. “I was stopped at Shadnagar at 1 a.m. and an official sat with me to bring the truck here,” said Muzzafar Khan transporting heavy iron sheets from Jharkhand for a dealer in Jeedimetla. The charges against the dealer include: “Not carrying Telangana State Waybill along with the goods vehicle.” The vehicle will be released only on payment of a penalty of ₹ 1,86,883 for iron plates valued at ₹ 10,38,240.
Another dealer transporting cycle parts has been slapped with a penalty of ₹ 4 lakh which is 12% of the value of goods being transported. “I am bringing these cycle parts from Jhajjar in Haryana. The dealer tried to dodge tax and did not create the waybill. Now he has to pay a penalty. I will also suffer a loss as my vehicle is out of action and I will not get rent for the vehicle,” said Sunil Kumar, the driver of the truck bringing goods to the city. “Till the dealer deposits the DD for the amount, we are stuck here,” said Satbir Singh another driver, whose vehicle transporting tyres was also detained.
