VAT scam: Excise Dept claims Rs 3,135-crore in tax

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 30

The Excise and Taxation Department had claimed Rs 3,135 crore tax after special assessment and revision of VAT cases. This was stated by the department today in its reply to a petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking CBI inquiry into the VAT scam. The department has also sought dismissal of the petition filed by whistleblowers — Raghubir Singh and Shiv Sawhney.

The state government had constituted Special Assessment Teams in 13 districts and Special Revision Authorities in 16 districts after the SIT constituted by the Lokayukta alleged Rs 10,618 crore VAT scam in its report.

The orders passed by them (creating demand of Rs 3,135 crore) are yet to attain finality as these are appealable under Section 33 of the Haryana Vat Act, 2003, said the department.

According to the department, a letter was written by the Additional Chief Secretary (Excise and Taxation) on 12 December, 2014, requesting SIT to restrict its probe to Kaithal district alone. This was done to expedite the probe, beside the main complaint had emerged from Kaithal district, said the department.

The department also denied an effort to sabotage the probe, as construed by the Lokayukta.