Tax evasion detected in sale of diamonds worth Rs 5,150 cr

   New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) In a major haul, the city's
 tax department has detected tax evasion in undeclared sale of
 diamonds worth Rs 5,150 crore which were imported through the
 Delhi airport.
   Teams from trade and taxes department carried out
 raids at premises of 29 importers and dealers of diamond
 across the city and discovered the evasion of VAT to the tune
 of more than Rs 100 crore.
   Commissioner of Trade and Taxes Rajendra Kumar said
 his department had launched the drive on July 12. "We have
 discovered undeclared sale of diamonds worth Rs 5,150 crore,"
 he said.
   An senior official, who was part of the drive, said
 that the tax evasion could be to the tune of more Rs 100
 crore. He, however, added that the exact amount of evasion
 would be computed once the probe was over.
   Kumar said the traders had imported the items through
 Delhi airport and did not show their sale in their returns
 with a view to evade VAT on them.
   Apart from diamond traders, dealers in computer parts,
 jewellery, chemicals and sanitary goods have also been
 intensively surveyed by the department and "significant
 results have been achieved", said another official of the Tax
 department.
   The premises of several dealers have been sealed and
 bank accounts have been attached.
   In addition to the raids on the business premises of
 the unscrupulous dealers, the department has also intensified
 checking of goods vehicle on inter-state routes and other
 critical places.
   In the month of July itself, the department has
 checked 203 goods vehicles and of these, 131 vehicles were found to be without proper documents.