BJP MLA Raja Singh wants CBI probe into GST scam

In a letter to Mr. Shah on Tuesday, a copy of which was released to the media, the MLA explained that the State police had recently registered a criminal case against former chief secretary Somesh Kumar for his alleged involvement in the payment of input tax credit in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) transactions.

The fradulent transactions have happened during the reign of the BRS government when the officer concerned was special chief secretary – Revenue (Commercial Taxes) and continued in the post even after his elevation as Chief Secretary during which he was in charge of all the revenue earning departments, he claimed.

Mr. Singh pointed out that Joint Commissioner of Commercial Taxes K. Ravi Kumar had implicated Mr. Somesh Kumar, Additional Commissioner S.V. Kasi Viveswara Rao, Deputy Commissioner A. Siva Rama Prasad of the department, IIT-Hyderabad assistant professor Sobhan Babu and technology partner Plianto Technologies in the police complaint filed.

The gravity of the allegations involving substantial loss to the State exchequer and potential breaches of public trust necessitates a thorough and impartial investigation. Giving the complexity and scale of the scam and involvement of high ranking officials, there are concerns with regard to the safety efficacy and impartiality of the current investigation by the TG’s CID department, he said.

It is in this light that he wanted a CBI probe so that all aspects of the scam are thoroughly examined and culprits are brought to the justice promptly, added the letter.