Guwahati, June 26 (UNI) In a crackdown on tax evasion and illicit goods movement, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Intelligence and Enforcement Wing in Assam has arrested seven proprietors of transport and logistics firms for allegedly transporting taxable goods without valid documentation.
The arrests were made following multiple surprise inspections at major railway yards in Guwahati, including Azara and Paltan Bazar.
According to the Commissioner of State GST, the accused were found in gross violation of the Assam GST Act, 2017. FIRs have been lodged against them for criminal conspiracy, illegal transport of goods, and breach of trust involving railway vendors and transport agents.
Officials said the enforcement action was initiated based on credible intelligence inputs suggesting a well-coordinated operation involving transporters, railway vendors, and consignee-consignor networks engaged in the evasion of GST.
The goods in question were reportedly moved in large quantities without valid e-way bills or other required documentation—an act that not only constitutes tax evasion but also dealing in stolen property under the law.
“So far, seven individuals have been apprehended. These arrests and the associated search and seizure operations aim to deter others from engaging in similar illegal activities,” the GST Commissioner said in a statement.
The GST department has accused some railway vendors of criminal breach of trust, alleging they knowingly facilitated the offloading and distribution of goods without alerting authorities.
“There appears to be a deep nexus between transporters, railway staff, and traders to avoid paying GST through systematic underreporting,” a senior enforcement official noted.
The Assam government has recently intensified its efforts to curb tax evasion as part of a broader campaign to boost state revenues and ensure compliance with GST norms. The use of traditional and rail-based logistics for illegal trade has been flagged in earlier internal reports, prompting enhanced surveillance on transport hubs.
Earlier this year, the GST department had issued advisories warning traders and transporters of strict legal consequences for bypassing documentation norms.
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