Make fake websites on BMC’s name, using the same traders evaded octroi by showing fake online payment
Mumbai : BMC, on Tuesday, filed a complaint with the cyber cell of Mumbai police after it found that fake websites of its octroi department have been created which were used to generate fake receipts of octroi payments. The BMC suspects huge amount of octroi evasion as the goods carriers used to show online payment receipts on the fake websites while entering Mumbai.
The BMC’s octroi department realised that there are two more websites that resembled the civic body’s official one. These websites were found to be generating fake receipts of online octroi payment. By showing these receipts the traders or the goods carriers cleared their goods from octroi naka, while entering the city, without paying octroi to the BMC.
The BMC’s octroi department came across the racket while it was verifying the receipts and payments as they were in process to close the accounts by March end. The authorities found that in some cases receipts were there but actual payment was not credited in the BMC’s bank account.
The BMC’s vigilance department asked Vidarbha Infotech, the company hired to help the civic body to avoid octroi evasion, to investigate how the fraud took place. The company found that there were two more websites having names as www.mcgmoctroi.in and www.mcgmoctroi.org. Actually, the BMC has only one official website, which is www.mcgmoctroi.com.
Additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee said, “The BMC has filed a complaint with the cyber cell, which would trace the people behind the scam.”
“Apparently, it seems that www.mcgmoctroi.in has been registered on January 15 and the owner is Rakesh Bapat. The address for the registration has been given as Nallasopara. The cyber cell will go through all the details,” he said.
However, there is a huge octroi evasion but the revenue loss is yet to be estmiated.
The BMC is also contemplating to file case under intellectual property act. It has sought information about the websites from the National Internet Exchange of India.
Pandurang Mhaske
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