Ahmedabad: India's Fake Billing Capital? GST Fraud Worth Thousands of Crores Uncovered

• Ahmedabad has become the leading hub for GST evasion and fake billing in Gujarat, with thousands of crores in fraud over the last five years (2019-2026).
• Fraudsters use 'shell companies' and dummy directors to issue fake bills without actual goods movement, claiming bogus Input Tax Credit (ITC).
• The 'paper trade' involves registering fake companies using unsuspecting individuals' Aadhaar cards, then selling fake bills for tax exemptions.
• Major rackets include ₹1,210 crore in Vadodara (2019), ₹1,324 crore in Bhavnagar (2019), and ₹2,435 crore in Ahmedabad (2021-22), often linked to bullion traders.
• The largest scam in 2023-24 involved ₹6,030 crore in bogus bills, with 84 out of 282 companies under investigation from Ahmedabad, leading to ₹910 crore loss to the government.

Why It Matters: Ahmedabad leads Gujarat in massive GST fake billing and ITC fraud, costing the government thousands of crores.