A 32-year-old farmer from a small village near Gudiyatham in Vellore district was left stunned after receiving a notice from the GST assistant commissioner's office in Ambur circle, demanding payment of Rs 2.47 crore in tax, interest, and penalties for the financial year 2023-24. The farmer, S Prabhakar, son of Selvaraj, has alleged that unknown individuals stole his identity to register a fraudulent business entity.
Farmer's Ordeal
Prabhakar, who resides in a modest tin-roofed house in Mottur village under Veerichettipalli panchayat, earns a meager livelihood through small-scale farming and cattle rearing. Upon receiving the notice, he immediately contacted the Ambur GST assistant commissioner's office to clarify that he does not own any business and works as a simple laborer. Officials advised him to file a formal police complaint regarding the potential identity theft, which he subsequently lodged with the Paradarami police.
In his complaint, Prabhakar stated, "I received a notice from the Ambur GST department stating that a business titled 'Raju Traders' is being operated in my name. The notice claimed that I have failed to pay GST for the financial year 2023-2024 and demands a total payment of Rs 2.47 crore, which includes pending tax, interest, and penalties."
He clarified that he never started any business under the name 'Raju Traders.' "I am a simple laborer living in a house with a metal sheet roof. I cannot conduct business worth crores of rupees. Someone has illegally obtained my personal documents to fraudulently register this GST number. This incident has caused severe mental agony and distress to my entire family and me. I am deeply worried that I might be held legally responsible for financial irregularities committed by someone else using my identity," he added, urging police to take stringent action against the culprits.
Investigation Underway
Police have promised to initiate an investigation into how Prabhakar's personal details were accessed and used to create a fraudulent business entity, and to nab those responsible.
