HYDERABAD: The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) has registered a case against unidentified fraudsters for allegedly changing the mobile number and email ID linked to a businessman’s Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN) account and generating fake invoices and unauthorised e-way bills involving transactions worth Rs 183.6 crore.
Investigators are yet to ascertain whether the fraudsters filed any claim for the amount.
The 29-year-old businessman and his 30-year-old business partner, both residents of Choutuppal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, lodged a complaint with the police. The two are directors of a plywood and hardware business.
According to the complaint, on August 3, the company’s accountant informed one of the directors that the GST portal was showing the message, “Your login credentials are invalid”, when he tried to log in. He tried five to six times, but received the same message.
The director then checked the GST portal and found that an unidentified person had changed the registered mobile number and email ID linked to the GST account on the evening of July 23.
On checking the original registered mobile number, the director found an SMS stating that the GST account password had been changed on July 23.
The director informed the accountant about the incident. On the accountant’s advice, he approached the Assistant Commissioner of State Tax at Nagole Circle, LB Nagar division, at Nampally, requesting that the GSTIN account be temporarily suspended to prevent further unauthorised transactions.
Officials verified the account, changed the login credentials and began examining the fake invoices and unauthorised e-way bills generated through the account.
On August 6, one of the directors and the accountant visited the GSTIN office in Nampally and verified that unidentified persons had gained unauthorised access to the account.
“We collected data regarding the unauthorised persons who generated 730 fake invoices and unauthorised e-way bills involving an amount of Rs 1,83,61,99,409, with the intention of claiming illicit input tax credit (ITC) and causing loss of government revenue,” the complaint stated.
The directors later lodged a complaint with the TGCSB. Based on the complaint, police registered a case under Sections 318(4) (cheating), 319(2) (cheating by personation) and 338 (forgery) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), read with Sections 66C (identity theft), 66D (impersonation), 43 (unauthorised access) and 66 (computer-related offences) of the Information Technology Act. Investigation is on.