Prime accused in illegal gutka factory case arrested

Vadodara: The central goods and services tax (GST) officials arrested Lokesh Kumar Prakash Chandra, one of the main accused in the illegal gutka factory that was unearthed in Halol taluka of Panchmahal district in January this year. Chandra, who had been absconding ever since, was produced before a local court on Tuesday which sent him to judicial custody.
CGST officials said that two persons, Rafiq Chhipa and Dharma Bawaria, were arrested on January 18, but Chandra evaded arrest then. He surrendered before the court after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him.
“During search proceedings, officials unearthed illegal gutka products of various brands resulting in massive evasion of GST and other taxes to the tune of more than Rs 70 crore. Initial investigations revealed a widespread inter-state network – extending to Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh – of manufacture and supply of gutka and paan masala,” GST officials said.
The clandestine supply chain operations were being carried out on ‘hit-and-run basis’, with continuous shifting of the gutka manufacturing machines. GST officials said that the owner changed the factory’s location every three months to evade detection. The factory operated only at night and the entire stock would be disposed off within hours.
Incriminating goods, documents and vehicles along with gutka stock were seized from the factory. GST officials also said that the illegal gutka stock will be destroyed.