Maharashtra: Thane businessman duped of Rs 4.5 cr in GST fraud

A 60-year-old Thane businessman was allegedly duped of Rs 4.5 crore by a man who carried out transactions through his company and evaded payment of Goods and Services Tax (GST), police said on Monday, reported news agency PTI.

Based on a complaint, the police registered a case under sections 318(4) (cheating), 336 (forgery) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act against the accused, identified as Salman, an official said.

He said the accused offered to purchase the Thane businessman`s company in December 2024 and obtained documents of his firm, its GST number and password, reported PTI.

The official said the accused subsequently changed the complainant`s login details in the GST file and the email ID and mobile number linked with his GST account.

“With the help of fake and fabricated documents, Salman made business transactions amounting to Rs 25 crore in the name of the victim`s company and evaded the payment of GST amounting to Rs 4.5 crore,” the official said, reported PTI.

He said a probe is underway, and no arrest has been made.

Man cheated of Rs 39.8 lakh by woman he met on matrimonial site in Thane district

In another case, A 35-year-old man from Maharashtra`s Thane district was allegedly duped of Rs 39.8 lakh by a woman he met on a matrimonial site after she lured him to invest in Forex trading, police said on Sunday, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint by the Kalyan-based businessman, the police on Friday registered a case under section 318 (4) (cheating) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act, an official said, reported PTI.

He said the complainant got acquainted with the accused on a matrimonial site, and during their conversation on WhatsApp, she lured him to invest in Forex trading through a company and provided him with a link.

The accused woman assured him of income in USD and made him invest Rs 39.8 lakh between March 15 and April 25, the official said, reported PTI.

When the complainant did not get any returns on his investment, he realised he had been conned and approached the police, he said, adding that a probe is underway.

Four booked for cheating Bhiwandi businessman of Rs 22.4 lakh

Meanwhile, a case has been registered against four persons for allegedly cheating a businessman of Rs 22.4 lakh in Maharashtra`s Thane district, police said on Sunday, reported PTI.

Based on a complaint, the Bhiwandi police on May 7 registered a case against one Manzoor alias Raja Khan, Abul Kalam, Yaar Mohammad, and Hidan Mohammad under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code for the fraud that took place in 2020, an official said, reported PTI.

The official said the complainant, Awaral Mohammad Rafiq Mohammed, had entered into a partnership with Khan in 2020 to deal in used vehicles, and later Kalam joined the venture, reported PTI.

Between June 2022 and February 2023, they purchased damaged vehicles worth more than Rs 47 lakh from Gujarat for resale and repair, and the complainant invested Rs 22.44 lakh in the business, he said.

According to the FIR, the accused allegedly sold the stock to third parties without informing the complainant and siphoned off the proceeds.

The complainant has claimed that he was assaulted and threatened, and the accused also took away his motorcycle, the official said, adding that the matter is under investigation.

(With inputs from PTI)

This article first appeared on Mid Day