PAN card fraud: I-T dept serves Rs 12 cr tax dues notice on Bhilwara trader

The physically challenged trader Kishangopal runs a stationery shop to eke out his living. During the marriage season, he doubles up as a photographer to earn extra bucks. Kishangopal and his family members are spending sleepless nights after receiving the notice regarding humungous I-T dues.

Bhilwara (Rajasthan): A petty trader running a small stationery shop in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district has been asked to pay more than Rs 12 core I-T (income tax) dues. The Bhilwara Income Tax department served notice on Kishangopal Chaparwal, asking the latter to give a reply to I-T dues by April 10. The physically challenged trader Kishangopal runs a stationery shop to eke out his living. During the marriage season, he doubles up as a photographer to earn some extra bucks. Kishangopal and his family members are spending sleepless nights, after receiving the notice regarding humungous I-T dues.

The shop owner Kishangopal is a resident of Sanjay Colony situated on Mahesh Marg in Rajasthan's Bhilwara city. His father Rameshwar Lal Chaparwal received the I-T notice through the Postal Department on March 29, 2023. The trader consulted his kin, who is also a Chartered Accountant. The CA told Kishangopal that his PAN card was 'misused' and someone in Surat in Gujarat and Mumbai, who floated two diamond shell companies, done bogus transactions running into several crores by using his PAN card.

The notice was issued on March 28 by Dilip Rathore, Income Tax Officer of ward number one in Bhilwara to the recipient. It was detected in the I-T notice that two companies Sheth Gems Private Company and Dushyant Vaishnav had done transactions worth Rs 12. 23 crore (approximately).

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Kishangopal said, "I run a small shop and set up a business after taking loans. I am unable to pay back the instalments. I have nothing to do with these two bogus companies. I was cheated by some fraudsters. The I-T department has served a notice on me for more than Rs 12.23 crore tax dues. I appeal to the authority concerned to provide relief in the matter." The aggrieved trader has also lodged a complaint with the Subhash Nagar police station in that regard.