The city’s Crime Branch has busted a massive fake GST billing racket worth a staggering ₹150 crore, arresting five key players, including the alleged mastermind. The crackdown has sparked ripples across Nagpur’s business community.
Those arrested include Santosh alias Bunty Rampal Sahu (52), his younger brother Jayesh Rampal Sahu (36), Brijkishor Ramniwas Manihar (59), Rishi Hitesh Lakhani (21), and Anand Vinod Harde (33) — all Nagpur residents. Meanwhile, three more suspects — Avinash Sahu, Rajesh Sahu, and Anshul Mishra — are on the run, and efforts are underway to trace them.
Victim Trapped in ₹150 Cr GST Scam, Threatened When He Spoke Up
The racket unravelled after 39-year-old Biswajit Roy, a resident of West Bengal, approached Nagpur Police with a startling revelation. Roy, who once ran a modest fast-food stall in Hooghly, came to Nagpur in June 2024 at the invitation of his childhood friend, Suraj Kedia, hoping for a fresh start.
Instead, Roy found himself at the centre of a massive scam.
He told police that he was introduced to the accused at Pritam Complex in the Small Factory Area, where they convinced him to invest and handed over lucrative promises. Trusting them, he submitted his Aadhaar and PAN cards—documents later misused to register a fake firm named Kshitij Enterprises in his name. The firm was falsely declared a small-scale industry and given a GST registration and bank account—all without Roy’s knowledge.
Police investigations revealed that between September and December 2024, fake invoices worth ₹96.39 crore were generated through Kshitij Enterprises. The gang issued bogus bills to various companies without supplying any goods, funnelling payments through legal banking channels, withdrawing them in cash, and returning a cut to buyers to help them dodge GST.
When Roy realised the fraud and demanded answers, he was allegedly threatened with death. Soon after, he learned that another bogus firm, Avadh Enterprises, had been floated using his friend Mithun Rajpande’s documents, generating fake bills worth ₹59.51 crore.
Roy’s complaint prompted a full-fledged probe by the Crime Branch, revealing a web of shell companies, bogus billing, online gaming links, and hawala transactions. A case has been registered at Lakadganj police station, and five accused have been arrested so far.
Bunty and Brijkishor: The Brains Behind the ₹150 Cr Scam
At the centre of the fake GST billing racket are two key players—Santosh alias Bunty Sahu and Brijkishor Manihar. Bunty, who once made a living stealing scrap, has a long criminal history, with several serious cases registered against him in Nagpur and neighbouring states. He has been arrested multiple times in the past. In this operation, Bunty reportedly managed the financial transactions, with assistance from associates Avinash Sahu and Rishi Lakhani.
Meanwhile, Brijkishor Manihar posed as a GST tax consultant and is believed to have extensive knowledge and reach within the GST system. Police sources said Manihar was instrumental in luring clients looking to purchase bogus bills and would direct them to his close aide, Anshul Mishra, to carry out the deals.
Over 70 Shell Companies Under Scanner in GST Fraud
The investigation has revealed that the racket involved more than 70 shell companies, many of which were registered using identity documents of unsuspecting individuals—primarily daily wage workers and people from economically weaker backgrounds. Several of these individuals were either unaware of how their documents were being misused or have gone into hiding, fearing legal action.
Sources estimate that the scam may have led to tax evasion and money laundering worth several hundred crores. A comprehensive audit of these shell entities is expected to uncover more financial discrepancies.
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch is intensifying efforts to trace the absconding accused and is working closely with the GST Department and financial intelligence agencies to broaden the scope of the investigation.
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