A day after a plywood trader from Perumbavoor was arrested for GST evasion, plywood manufacturers demanded to enhance enforcement activities to curb such evasions. Claiming more plywood traders were engaged in the dubious business, the manufacturers highlighted the need for an in-depth investigation into the arrest of K U Nishad, who was nabbed by the intelligence wing of the Central Excise.
Mr. M M Mujeeb Rahman, President of Sawmill Owners and Plywood Manufacturers Association (SOPMA) said GST fraud was not confined to a single person. “An organised group having in-depth understanding of the loopholes in GST norms is behind it. As part of the probe, plywood traders engaged in fake business should be identified and action should be initiated. They have landed us in trouble with their dubious business. We have been demanding strict enforcement of rules ever since GST was introduced,” he said.
Rahman said more than 100 loads of plywood were leaving Kerala daily using false invoices. Central Excise found Nishad had done GST registrations in several states. Fake GST input about the sales and purchases were generated for evading the tax.SOPMA general secretary Mr. Azeez Pandiyarpilly said enforcement activities by agencies under the state and Central governments were minimal ever since GST was introduced.