High Court Rejects Bail for Businessman in ₹1,033 Crore GST Evasion, Underlines Serious Economic Crime.
During the bail hearing for a businessman detained by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) for allegedly evading GST amounting to Rs 1,033 crore, the high court emphasized that the decision on the bail application cannot be made solely based on the fact that the offense is subject to trial by a court of first class judicial magistrate and carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
The court, upon denying the bail request, remarked, “Every citizen of this nation dutifully pays various taxes including CGST and SGST, however, individuals like the petitioner obstruct national development through the establishment of fraudulent firms, culminating in a staggering loss of nearly Rs 1,033 crore to the state treasury.” The court further noted, “The grave financial crime committed by such individuals necessitates a unique perspective when considering their bail applications.”
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, presiding over a single-judge bench, declined the bail plea of Ashutosh Garg, who was apprehended by the DGGI on November 11, 2023. Justice Dhand, in denying the bail request, stated, “Funds allocated for development projects are being siphoned off by ‘white-collar criminals’, engaging in illicit activities that result in substantial financial damage to our country, running into hundreds of crores of rupees.”