The Income Tax Department has uncovered a bogus refund scam worth around 100 crore involving income tax practitioners (ITPs), chartered accountants, and intermediaries in Chennai, Madurai, Trichy and Jharkhand.
A series of survey operations were launched based on intelligence from Directorate General of Income Tax (Investigation), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, targeting individuals involved in filing fraudulent income tax refund claims on behalf of nearly 4,000 taxpayers nationwide.
Operations were conducted at multiple locations, including Krishnagiri, Salem and Coimbatore, besides Dhanbad, and Deoghar.
Officials said these intermediaries submitted fake claims under various sections of the Income Tax Act, generating large sums. The fraudulent activities primarily targeted govt employees including defence personnel across the country.
Officials said agents used advertising and outreach campaigns promoting “maximum tax refunds” to lure people.
In many cases, investigators found common email IDs created in bulk to file claims on behalf of individuals without their knowledge.
In one case, a Dhanbad-based agent submitted fraudulent refund claims for more than 1,000 taxpayers.
“Some taxpayers appear to have intentionally collaborated with these agents. We are identifying these people,” an I-T department official said. “Dozens of agents have already been tracked based on mobile numbers used to reach potential clients.”
This incident follows a larger I-T refund fraud uncovered in Mumbai in July 2024, where businessman Anirudh Gandhi was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths for orchestrating a 263.95 crore scam involving fraudulent TDS refunds.
A Chennai-based tax consultant said, “Those involved should correct their filings promptly to avoid penalties and possible prosecution.”
Investigations are on to determine the scale of the fraud, officials said.
Source #TOI
