Commercial Taxes Deptt, Jammu tightens noose against Non-Filers of GST Returns

Jammu : A teams of Commercial Taxes Department conducted surprise inspections at 6 hotel premises 3 each in Jammu and Katra, 1 fitness centre and 3 traders having principal place of business in Jammu in an endeavour to tighten the noose on delinquent taxpayers. The move has resulted in wake of non-filling of monthly GSTR-3B returns by these establishments despite repeated notices/reminders from the department for submission of due tax within stipulated timelines.
Additional Commissioner Commercial Taxes (Adm) Jammu Shiv Kumar Gupta, acting promptly authorised inspections in terms of section 67 of Jammu & Kashmir Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 and the concerned State Taxes Officers conducted searches at Trans Asia Hotels Pvt Ltd. Muskan Hotel Pvt Ltd. & Hotel Mango, Count Fitness Gym & Spa, Ramprakash Sham Sundar, Paul Engineering, & Bhardwaj Agencies in Jammu and Hotels Atrium, Kanta International & KS International in katra to take a stock of business activities/transactions carried by the defaulters during the period of non-submission of due tax.
The team members thoroughly examined the record available in the premises of these establishments and resumed relevant data and documents under proper seizure/record resumption memo, duly signed by the officers as well as representatives/witnesses of the registered person.
The preliminary scrutiny/assessment of sale purchase records has revealed a Taxable turnover of 22.09 crore entailing a potential tax liability of 239.79 at such business establishment since January 2018. As a consequence of surprise inspections 7 business establishments have deposited Rs 129.97 lakhs as tax which was collected by them but not paid to the Government. Further proceedings to retrieve the balance amount inclusive of interest, late fee & penalty in consonance with extant provisions of Act is underway.
The department has also formulated a list of chronic non-filers who are habitually contravening provisions of GST Act to evade tax deposition, besides ensuring registration of all the eligible business entities under the Tax regime to broaden the tax base and further legal action is anticipated to follow in succeeding weeks.