Photo: amar ujala
Expansion
Income Tax teams raided several factories of Purvanchal’s large conglomerate Gallant Group and a large builder in the city at several places simultaneously on Wednesday. It is being told that raids have been conducted at about 32 places in UP, West Bengal and Gujarat. Actually, the investigation of tax evasion is going on this group.
It has been told that the investigation is going on for the allegation of tax evasion of about one thousand crore rupees on this group. The Income Tax team is investigating four locations including the flat of Shalimar Gallant Apartment, Sikandarbagh located in the metropolis of Lucknow. Along with this, the matter of raid at the group’s partner Shobhit Agarwal in the metropolis is coming to the fore. The group was also raided at five places in Kolkata. On the other hand, along with the Income Tax team of Gujarat, the team of Banaras is also involved in the raid. Two teams are also being told from Delhi and Bengal. The action, which started around 9 am on Wednesday, was going on till evening.
The Income Tax team simultaneously launched operations at the Gallant group’s Bank Road office in Gorakhpur, factory at Gida and director’s residence in Bargadwan area. The Gallant Group produces over one million tonnes of rebars annually through production units located at Gorakhpur and Kutch in Gujarat. Whereas, Shobhit Mohan Das is the first builder to bring apartment culture in Gorakhpur. It is believed that the Income Tax has started action to investigate the properties of both.
Gallant Group and builder Shobhit Mohan Das are also working in partnership. Both have jointly got the responsibility of developing the township and Medicity started in Khorabar by the Gorakhpur Development Authority. Income tax sources said that the teams reached Gorakhpur in about 35 vehicles at Gallant Group and Shobhit Agarwal together on Wednesday morning. In this regard, Gallant Group’s Managing Director Chandra Prakash Agarwal Chandu, MD Mayank Agarwal and builder Shobhit Mohan Das are currently refraining from saying anything.
Last month the Central GST team has also taken action
The enforcement team of Central GST had also taken action on Gallant Sariya’s Gida factory last month itself. Sources in the GST department said that complaints of financial irregularities were received in the action which lasted for about 18 hours. After investigation, the team had returned to Delhi. It is being told that the team will take further action on the basis of the evidence found in the investigation.
Evidence of tax evasion of 200 crores found
Income Tax Department teams raided 60 places for Gallant Group. Locations of close relatives of CP Aggarwal in Bihar have also been searched. Raids were conducted in many cities including Surat, Bharuch in Gujarat. Investigation is going on in many offices and residences of the owners in Delhi. It is being told that till now evidence of tax evasion of 200 crores has been found. Two crore rupees and documents of various properties have been recovered. The investigation of jewelery worth crores of rupees is also going on. The Income Tax Department has recovered documents of more than 100 properties, documents related to suspicious transactions from these locations. Also, several laptops and mobiles have also been seized.
