The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has arrested Balbir Kumar Virdi, the State GST Joint Director, on charges of involvement in a tax evasion scam. Virdi, who was previously posted as Deputy Commissioner in the Maine State Tax Department in Patiala, is accused of colluding with transport and industry owners to evade taxes amounting to crores of rupees through GST bogus billing.
According to a vigilance spokesperson, Virdi and other officers/employees of the State Excise Department are alleged to have committed tax evasion with the connivance of certain stakeholders. The case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B, as well as Section 7 and 7-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Case 9, on September 21, 2020.
Furthermore, a vigilance investigation has been initiated against Virdi for possessing assets disproportionate to his income. The investigation revealed that Virdi, a resident of Lam village, Jalandhar, now residing in Kothi No. 213, Guru Gobind Singh Nagar, Jalandhar, had amassed movable and immovable properties beyond his actual income by misusing his official position.
After the High Court rejected Virdi’s anticipatory bail application on May 3, 2024, he surrendered before the court on Thursday. Subsequently, the vigilance bureau arrested him in connection with the case. The arrest underscores the bureau’s commitment to combat corruption and uphold the integrity of public office.
