A senior resident of Ambur on Thursday expressed his helplessness after being unable to receive the pension he relies on, as his bank account was allegedly frozen following a GST fraud committed two years ago, a case he says he is still struggling to report.
E Velayudham, a resident of Maligaithoppu, has been dependent on the monthly pension of Rs 1,000 left by his late wife, who worked in a private shoe factory. However, the pension stopped being credited to his bank account in 2023. When he recently approached the bank, officials informed him that the account had been frozen on the grounds that he had failed to pay GST amounting to nearly Rs 1 crore.
Although Velayudham had received a notice related to the alleged dues two years ago, he said he had never seen it. He maintained that he had no knowledge of the matter and alleged that his bank account and documents, including his Aadhaar card, had been misused by unidentified persons to commit GST evasion and operate a company in his name.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “In 2001, both my hip bones broke. After recovering, it was only in 2012 that I began working as a security guard. I worked for three years. During the course of my work, I suffered a heart attack and underwent surgery. After the surgery, I have been homebound. My son provides food, but for all my other needs I depend on the pension.”
According to Velayudham, officials at the Ambur police station directed him to the GST office in Vellore, while GST officials allegedly insisted that he return with a copy of a police complaint filed in Ambur. “I have visited Ambur police station four times, but they are not taking my complaint,” he said.
In recent years, scores of GST fraud cases have surfaced in Ambur, Vaniyambadi and surrounding areas. District police have acknowledged that investigations into such cases remain challenging, as multiple individuals often appear to be involved in the offences.
When TNIE tried contacting Ambur police, they were not available for a comment.
