Above: Anupam Kher with Vijay Ratnakar Gutte  

The upcoming flick Accidental Prime Minister’s Director Vijay Ratnakar Gutte has been arrested for alleged Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud of at least Rs 34 crore by the Directorate General of Goods and Services Tax Intelligence (DGGSTI) in Mumbai.

India Legal in its report ‘Accidental Prime Minister’ in a legal spot had highlighted how film’s producer as well as director was facing music from the courts for various irregularities and fraud.

Gutte’s father Ratnakar Gutte embroiled in massive Rs 5,400 scam had taken loans in the names of farmers and invested in his shell companies and Bombay HC had ordered a probe into the allegations regarding Gutte.

While film’s producer, Sunil Bohra firm Bohra Bros Production Private Limited was ordered to be liquidated in the case Jia Entertainment Networks Private Limited vs Bohra Bros Production Private Limited at Bombay HC as the company was unable to pay its debts and is commercially insolvent, hence required to be wound up immediately.

Jia Entertainment Networks Private Limited had reached the high court after cheques by Bohra to Jia Entertainment bounced.

And now, the director Gutte has been charged for GST fraud. According to the reports, Vijay Gutte’s firm, VRG Digital Corp Pvt Ltd, has been accused of taking “fake invoices” involving GST of Rs 34 crore for animation and manpower services received from Horizon Outsource Solutions Pvt Ltd, a company that has come under the scanner of the government agency for GST fraud of over Rs 170 crore.

“VRG Digital Corp has also wrongly claimed a cash refund of Rs 28 crore from the government against CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax) credit received for these fake invoices since July 2017.

“Vijay Gutte has been booked under Section 132 (1)(c) of the CGST Act, which pertains to “wrongful availment” of input tax credit using bills and invoices that have been issued without any supply of goods or services,” the reports said.

—India Legal Bureau