SGST Dept Takes Action Against Unregistered Godowns, Stocks
Indore: Tightening the noose around fraudsters involved in the illegal transfer of goods during elections, the state Goods and Services Tax (GST) department is digging out details about unregistered godowns in the state and stocks stored for distribution as freebies during elections.
The SGST department has recently carried out raids at Bhopal, Katni, Shajapur and Itarsi among other places in the state following suspicion of unaccounted stocks and fake invoices.
In the last assembly elections, the department had unearthed details about 17 unregistered godowns and unaccounted stocks worth lakhs.
“We are keeping a strict vigil on unaccounted stocks and unregistered godowns. These unregistered godowns are mostly used for keeping items that fall in the category of freebies and used by political parties for distribution to the public during elections. As part of the preventive vigilance mechanism, we are digging details about such unregistered properties,”said Rajani Singh, Additional Commissioner, SGST.
The department has taken action against half a dozen unregistered properties in the past a fortnight.
The SGST department has also deployed a team for keeping an eye on vehicles ferrying goods with fake invoices and e-way bills.
Election Commission of India in March announced the schedule for Lok Sabha elections and with this the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect. Madhya Pradesh will vote in four phases with the first phase on April 19, April 26, May 7 and May 13.
During the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, the SGST department had seized liquor, sarees, utensils, mobile phones and other suspected election freebies worth Rs 57 crore that were on their way to be distributed by political parties to lure voters in poll-bound states.
