GST officials in Uttar Pradesh looted so much that they couldn’t figure out where to spend their money. Then they played the real game.

The investigation into the alleged purchase of land worth billions of rupees by approximately 50 State GST officials in Uttar Pradesh, both registered and unregistered, has intensified. Initial investigations have uncovered documents pertaining to the purchase of land worth over 200 crore rupees. Most of the money was funneled through a prominent builder in Mohanlalganj tehsil. So far, the names of 11 officials involved in the purchase of land worth crores have been revealed.

Investment through a builder:
A case of officials purchasing land worth crores of rupees through a builder in a district of Awadh reached the government. A preliminary investigation found the complaints to be true, following which orders were issued to investigate, obtaining copies of the registration forms from the registry office. It was reported that most of the money was transferred to Mohanlalganj and Sultanpur Investment was made in road lands.

The investigation revealed that most of the officers involved in the scam were currently or formerly posted with the Flying
Squad and the Special Investigation Wing (SIB). These officers hold lucrative positions in districts such as Ghaziabad, Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Moradabad, Meerut, and Gautam Buddha Nagar. Those whose names appear on the land documents are posted in Saharanpur, Lucknow, Azamgarh, Lakhimpur Kheri, Mirzapur, KanpurThese officers were in 10 districts including Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner and Additional Commissioner level posts.

The COVID-19 period became a time of crisis for officers.
According to departmental sources, after 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, departmental officers remained in the same position for three to five years. During this period, officers received so much money that it became difficult to spend it. This led to the investment of this money through a builder in land on Mohanlalganj and Sultanpur Road.

Sources say the builder is a close relative of a senior official in the department
. Through this, he gained access to the department and offered land investments to other officials. This is why a large number of officials were able to become involved in this scam.

Source: News18