Small Business Owner Faces Massive GST Demand in Identity Theft Scam
A 37-year-old electrical appliances shop owner from Hingoli district in Maharashtra has been left in utter disbelief after receiving a Goods and Services Tax (GST) notice demanding over Rs 23 crore. The shocking demand stems from fraudulent transactions totaling Rs 105.80 crore allegedly conducted by unidentified individuals who misused his Permanent Account Number (PAN) and Aadhaar details.
Police Register FIR and Launch Investigation
An FIR has been officially registered at the Vasmat police station in connection with this alarming case. Hingoli Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan confirmed the development, stating, "We have registered an FIR and initiated a detailed probe into the matter. The case involves suspected identity theft and financial fraud. Technical and financial trails are being examined to identify those responsible."
Shop Owner's Account Frozen Over GST Dues
The victim, Rajesh Dumane, who operates a modest electrical shop in Thakkar Complex, explained that due to his limited earnings, he does not even qualify for the lowest GST or income tax slab. "I started this shop in 2012. Due to my low income, I do not qualify even for the lowest GST or income tax slab. However, on Jan 1, 2026, I received a message from the bank stating that my account had been frozen over pending GST dues," Dumane told reporters.
He immediately visited a nationalized bank branch in Vasmat the following day, where officials informed him that a GST notice had been issued against him, leading to the freeze on his savings account. "I was later told that transactions worth Rs 105.8 crore had been carried out using my PAN and Aadhaar. I was shocked as I have never conducted any such business," he added.
Fake Firm Registered Using Stolen Identity
Subsequent inquiries with a chartered accountant revealed that a company named 'Brilliant Enterprises' was fraudulently registered in his name in Hyderabad on July 29, 2023. The firm allegedly used his identity documents and operated from an address in the Miyapur area of Hyderabad. For registration purposes, it utilized two mobile numbers and an email ID—none of which belonged to Dumane.
Suspects Details Misused During Employment Search
In his formal complaint, Dumane detailed that he had traveled to Pune in December 2022 in search of work due to poor income from his shop. Between December 2022 and July 2023, he worked as a delivery boy with an online food company and later as a technician with a private firm until August 2023, before returning to Vasmat in September 2023. He suspects that his PAN and Aadhaar details, shared during this period for employment purposes, may have been misused by fraudsters.
"I am a very ordinary person. I have not set up any such company, nor has any money from these transactions come into my bank account. Someone has fraudulently created this firm using my documents and carried out massive transactions," he stated in his complaint.
Delays in FIR Registration and Legal Action
Dumane alleged that he faced significant delays when trying to get an FIR registered for several weeks. It was only after the intervention of Hingoli Superintendent of Police Neelabh Rohan that the case was formally registered on March 28 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police authorities have confirmed that further investigation is currently underway to trace the accused individuals and fully ascertain the scale of the financial fraud.
