GST officials carry out checks on eateries in Kochi

Sleuths from the Intelligence wing of the State Goods and Services Tax department conducted checks on a chain of eateries in Kochi on Saturday night and in the early hours of Sunday to unearth substantial attempts to avoid paying tax. Sources said on Sunday that by a preliminary estimate more than ₹10 crore worth of sales turnover had not been accounted for, meaning that the entire volume of business had not been brought under the tax net.

Checks were conducted at six units of the food sales chain and details are awaited. As part of ‘Operation Moonlight’, the GST department has been carrying out inspections of hotels and eateries to unearth anomalies and tax evasion. Checks had been conducted in different parts of the State and it would continue, sources added. The checks are being carried out on information that there is substantial evasion of tax in the food sales industry.