Unemployed Youth Unwittingly Caught in Rs 250 Crore GST Fraud

An unemployed youth from Muzaffarnagar has become entangled in a Rs 250 crore GST fraud after his personal information was used to create a fake company and bank account. Police and GST officials are investigating the case, which highlights the dangers of sharing personal documents with unknown sources.

An unemployed young man from Muzaffarnagar is ensnared in a massive GST fraud amounting to Rs 250 crore. The scandal was unveiled when GST department officers visited the youth's residence to apprise him of the fraudulent activities linked to his identity.

Ashwani Kumar, a resident of Barsu village under the Ratanpuri police jurisdiction, had recently received a job offer via WhatsApp. In his eagerness for employment, Ashwani sent the required documents, which included his home electricity bill and his father's Aadhaar card, to an unfamiliar sender. He also transferred Rs 1,750 as part of the job application process but never received the promised job. Instead, his details were exploited to establish a fake company and bank account.

Senior officials revealed that a fraudulent e-way billing scheme worth around Rs 250 crore was carried out using Ashwani's credentials. The fabricated company and bank account facilitated the generation of fictitious e-way bills, typically used under GST regulations for transporting goods and services. Police Superintendent Aditya Bansal confirmed that no funds have been credited to any account yet. "Ashwani Kumar was deceived with a job offer and his documents were misused to set up a fake company and bank account. Through these, fraudulent e-way billing worth about Rs 250 crore was generated," Bansal stated.

Ashwani Kumar shared his distressing experience, revealing he received WhatsApp job offers requesting documents like his home's electricity bill and his father's Aadhaar card, along with Rs 1,750. "Now, I'm told a company is running in my name, which I know nothing about. The GST department informed me about this fraudulent firm, and a police complaint has been filed," he said. Superintendent Bansal added that the GST department is cooperating with local authorities to investigate and take legal action.

(With inputs from agencies.)