KHAMMAM: The life of a daily wage worker, J Venkateswarlu, took an unexpected turn when he received a notice from the GST officials in Vijayawada, asking him to pay Rs 22,86,014 towards GST for doing granite business with a turnover of Rs 2 crore.
Venkateswarlu, an illiterate, received the notice at his home address on March 7. It left him bewildered and distressed.
The notice was issued in the name of Bhagyalaxmi Enterprises, a company registered in Vijayawada, AP, using Venkateswarlu’s PAN details.
However, Venkateswarlu, a resident of Chandrugonda mandal headquarters in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, has nothing to do with the granite business. The notice was sent to the address linked to his PAN card which was being misused without his knowledge.
Days after receiving the notice, Venkateswarlu began receiving phone calls from GST officials demanding payment. Overwhelmed and deeply shaken, he sought help from local residents. Determined to uncover the truth, Venkateswarlu and a few close associates travelled to Vijayawada to locate Bhagyalaxmi Enterprises. To their dismay, they found no trace of the company or its office.
It soon became clear that Venkateswarlu’s PAN card had been misused by unknown individuals to register the company and conduct granite business. When he visited a MeeSeva centre to apply for a new PAN card, he was informed that a card had been previously issued in his name. With no clarity on how to proceed or whom to approach to file a complaint, Venkateswarlu felt helpless and decided to focus on his daily work to support his family.
Speaking to TNIE, Venkateswarlu appealed to the government for help.