GST enforcer to hunt for big frauds, spare the small fry

Experts say DGGI's move will create a fairer playing field for genuine businesses

- Gireesh Chandra Prasad

India's apex goods and services tax (GST) enforcement agency has a new priority: chasing deliberate and high-impact tax evasion and fraud over technical disputes.

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has accorded higher priority to investigating individuals and entities causing major damage to the economy through systematic tax evasion, over issues such as errors in classification of goods or services, two persons with direct knowledge of the development said.

While tax evasion and fraud are already top priority for DGGI, a sharper focus on these is expected to be a stronger deterrent, fetching more revenue to the exchequer while ensuring effective utilization of time and resources, one of them explained.

This approach will also ensure the industry is spared of investigations by the specialized agency into technical tax matters.