Rs 25.97 lakh loss due to GST lapses at truck terminal
The D Devaraj Arasu Truck Terminal Limited (DDUTTL) is embroiled in financial turmoil as the CID’s (Crime Investigation Department) investigation into a `47.10 crore scam reaches its final stage. The terminal faces a `25.97 lakh loss due to the cancellation of its GST registration.
Between 2017 and 2021, DDUTTL operated without an active GST number for nearly four years. The registration was initially revoked in 2020 due to non-renewal, yet transactions worth crores continued, bypassing crucial tax regulations. As per an auditor’s report, the terminal missed out on GST input claims totalling `25.97 lakh during this period, exacerbating its financial losses. The report confirmed the monetary damage, recommended identifying those responsible and taking stringent action.
The Terminal Management Board, acting on a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), has resolved to deposit the lost `25.97 lakh into the terminal treasury. However, the board is not stopping there. In a bid to uncover the underlying causes, they plan to file a formal complaint with the Lokayukta. This step aims to trace accountability and impose corrective measures on those implicated.
The CID has issued an appeal letter, urging cooperation from all stakeholders. Despite numerous challenges and delays, officials remain committed to concluding the probe efficiently. Transport Department officials who served as terminal Managing Directors during the contentious 2017-2021 period are under scrutiny.
