Guwahati: In one of the biggest crackdowns on tax evasion in recent times, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Guwahati Zonal Unit, has unearthed a massive Rs 83-crore fraud involving clandestine operations by businessman Mukesh Agarwal, 46, who has been identified as the key figure behind M/s Balaji Concast and M/s Balaji Steel Rolling Mills.

According to official sources, Agarwal had been secretly manufacturing and supplying MS Ingots and TMT Bars without issuing GST invoices, thereby evading tax to the tune of approximately Rs 83 crore. Investigations revealed that the units operated off the books, with transactions deliberately concealed to avoid detection by tax authorities.

Officials said the act amounts to a serious violation of Section 16 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017, which mandates proper documentation and invoicing for availing input tax credit.

Sources added that after detailed surveillance and evidence gathering, the DGGI team conducted coordinated searches at multiple premises linked to Agarwal, recovering incriminating documents and digital records confirming large-scale tax evasion.

Agarwal has been taken into custody and is expected to face prosecution under relevant provisions of the CGST Act. Further investigation is underway to trace other individuals or entities connected to the network.

Officials termed the case a “major success” in the ongoing nationwide drive against fake billing and GST evasion.