Lucknow: A major GST evasion case has come to light in Uttar Pradesh, where 59 bogus firms were used to siphon off over ₹500 crore. Investigations by the Special Task Force (STF) revealed that the accused orchestrated the scam across multiple states. Vulnerable citizens’ documents were misused to register these companies, while the perpetrators retained full control over bank accounts and other access points.
The STF arrested Keshwani Abbas Hussain Ramzan Ali, a resident of Bhavnagar, Gujarat, from Pune in connection with a GST fraud case registered in Indiranagar, Lucknow. Initial investigations showed that through a firm named Aradhya Enterprises, Keshwani and his associate Rais defrauded approximately ₹100 crore in GST. A deeper probe revealed that the accused operated a total of 59 firms, all of which were found to be entirely fake.
Through these companies, more than ₹500 crore was embezzled. STF officials said that access to all these firms was fully under Keshwani and Rais. The companies were registered in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Mumbai, and Karnataka. Among them, four firms – Aradhya Enterprises, SM Traders, Rathore Enterprises, and Gaur Trading – were registered with addresses in Lucknow, where action has been taken.
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Company Registration and Bank Accounts in Separate States
Notably, Aradhya Enterprises, which was involved in the ₹100 crore fraud, was registered at an Indiranagar, Lucknow address, while its bank account was operated from Bhavnagar, Gujarat. A similar discrepancy was observed with the other three Lucknow-registered firms. In reality, no offices or business activities existed at the registered addresses.
The STF noted that the accused lured poor and needy citizens to register these companies using fake documents, retaining full control over financial and banking operations. All transactions and company access were managed exclusively by the accused duo.
Officials’ Role Under Scrutiny
The registration of firms at bogus addresses has raised serious questions about the role of departmental officials. STF investigations, corroborated with past cases, indicate that fraudulent activities have been occurring at multiple levels. Experts note that proper verification and compliance checks during registration could have prevented such large-scale GST fraud.
The STF has initiated legal proceedings against the accused and continues to probe the matter. Officials have indicated that following the exposure of this network, investigations will extend to other states to address systemic loopholes.
