Kolkata, Nov 13 : The Goods and Services Tax (GST) officers have arrested a businessman named Jitendra Kumar Chaurasia for fraud worth around Rs 450 crore, officials said on Thursday.

GST authorities said that network of this fraud ring extends from Jammu and Kashmir to Kolkata.

It has been alleged that this huge fraud was committed by keeping fake documents of two companies in front of it.

According to GST sources, the businessman claimed to be in the business of supplying nicotine-like substances.

Based on that, two companies of the businessman were traced and its activities were monitored.

The head of both the private companies is businessman Jitendra Chaurasia.

Initially, the businessman used to do business in Jammu and Kashmir.

It is alleged that the issue of GST evasion was first reported from there.

His GST license was also cancelled in that state.

Later, the authorities allowed it to be started again.

According to GST authorities, following this Jitendra shifted his business to Kolkata.

Recently, the GST office of Kasba area in Kolkata also filed a complaint against him.

It alleged that the two companies through which the business is shown to be going on are actually shell companies.

But it is alleged that a lot of fake bills, invoices and fake documents were created in the name of the two companies to evade paying GST.

It was shown that goods worth a huge amount of money were supplied through the companies.

Fake documents were kept in front.

It was shown that GST money was deducted.

In this way, from 2021 to 2025, a GST fraud of Rs 433.3 crore was committed through one company and Rs 147.7 crore through the other.

But it is alleged that the businessman embezzled about Rs 450 crore from the total GST fraud of more than Rs 580 crore.

According to GST authorities, he was summoned to the GST office on Tuesday.

GST officers questioned him by showing him his bank accounts and other documents.

It is alleged that money was laundered through several other fake companies in addition to those two companies.

The businessman could not give a satisfactory answer.

Later, he was arrested.

He was produced before Alipore court on Wednesday.

The businessman's lawyer Sanjay Dasgupta applied for bail.

He said in his application to the court that the GST authorities in Jammu and Kashmir first cancelled his license but later returned it.

The allegations made against the businessman by the GST authorities in Kolkata were incorrect.

The lawyers of the GST authorities opposed the bail prayer.

After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the judge ordered the arrested businessman to be remanded in judicial custody till November 26.

GST detectives are examining the documents obtained from his company and conducting further investigation into the matter.

/IANS