GST Officers Uncover 10,700 Fake Firms in Rs 10,179 Crore Tax Evasion Scam

GST officers have uncovered approximately 10,700 fake GST registrations, involving tax evasion worth ₹10,179 crore, during an ongoing nationwide drive against fraudulent companies. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has implemented Aadhaar authentication for GST registrations in 12 states, with plans to expand to 20 states. The drive, which started on August 16, 2024, has identified 67,970 GST Identification Numbers (GSTINs) for verification, with 27% found to be non-existent. The article discusses the measures taken to combat GST evasion, including potential restrictions on new taxpayers based on risk profiles and the introduction of the Invoice Management System (IMS) to improve compliance.