Deputy State Tax Officer denied bail in GST fraud case in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The special court in Hyderabad denied the bail petition of Vemavarapu Venkata Ramana, Deputy State Tax Officer (DSTO) of State Taxes, Madhapur-II circle, in a GST fraud case on Friday.

Vemavarapu Venkata Ramana, the DSTO of State Taxes, Madhapur Circle-II, Hyderabad, was arrested on May 3, 2024, after seven GST fraud cases were reported on March 6, 2024, at Central Crime Station (CCS), Hyderabad. He was later produced before the court and remanded.

Vemavarapu Venkata Ramana connived with another officer and transferred the principal place of business of M/s Grow More Electric Vehicles from Madapur-II Circle to Nalgonda District without informing his superior officer.

V. Venktaramana transferred the principal place of business on September 6, 2021, at 2:01 p.m., and another accused person uploaded the documents at 06:24 p.m. Swarna Kumar, Dy Commissioner, GST, State Taxes, Nalgonda District, sanctioned the refund amount of Rs. 2,86,81,400 at 06:33 p.m. without checking documents, thereby causing loss to the Government exchequer.

Vemavarapu Venkata Ramana approached the Principal Special Judge for trial of SPE & ACB cases in Hyderabad for regular bail. Mohd Afroz Akthar, Principal Special Judge for trial of SPE & ACB cases, heard both sides and opined that it is not a fit case to grant bail and dismissed the petition