Ex-CS Somesh Kumar booked for GST fraud

The Central Crime Station (CCS) of Hyderabad Police registered a case against former Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and others, including Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes SV Kasi Vishwaswara Rao, Deputy Commissioner (Hyderabad Rural) Sivaram Prasad, IIT-Hyderabad Assistant Professor Sobhan Babu and Pilanto Technology Private Limited.

The complaint was lodged by K Ravi Kanuri, Joint Commissioner (CT) of the Central Computer Wing, Nampally, alleging GST fraud on July 26. A case was registered under IPC sections 406, 409, and 120B, along with the IT Act, against those involved. The police



are likely to issue notices to the officials and conduct further investigations.

According to the FIR, the preliminary investigation conducted by the Commercial Tax Office revealed a loss of Rs 1,000 crore in GST to the State. Around 75 companies have been found guilty of irregularities. The alleged scam was uncovered during a forensic audit of the State Beverages Corporation’s records.

Meanwhile, following the interstate investigation into the alleged fraud, the State government issued orders transferring the case to the Crime Investigation Department of Telangana police.