THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A trader who had absconded to avoid receiving the State GST department’s summons was arrested under Sections 172 and 174 of the Indian Penal Code, the first such case in the state, said a statement issued by the department.
The arrested is V K Jashid hailing from Perumpadappu in Malappuram. The main accused in the case, Baneesh hailing from Edappal, was arrested earlier. The latter served 50 days as a remand prisoner before the High Court granted him bail.
The duo is accused in a case of fake input tax credit fraud amounting to over `80 crore. According to the GST department, Baneesh, an arecanut dealer, issued bogus invoices without actually trading in the commodity , to wrongfully avail and utilise input tax credit facility.