Amid strict enforcement campaign against tax evaders, SIPU imposes Rs 15.37 crore fine in August – Harpal Singh Cheema

Appeals general public to be part of this campaign through ‘Mera Bill’ app

Chandigarh News: Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday said that the mobile wings of the State Intelligence and Preventive Units (SIPU) of the Taxation Department have imposed fines of Rs 15.37 crore to 873 vehicles seized for not having e-way bills and other required documents for the goods being carried, during the special checking drives conducted against tax evaders in the month of August.

       Disclosing this here, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that during the month of August, SIPU took action against 1052 vehicles, whereas, 70 cases were cases from the month of July. He said that total penalties of Rs 15,37,30,704 were imposed in 873 cases, while in pending 249 cases fines of Rs 4.38 crore were likely to be levied. Cheema said that out of the total fine imposed, fines to the tune of Rs 14,90,94,501 have been collected and the outstanding fine will also be recovered soon.

      Highlighting the highly performing SIPU teams, the Finance Minister said that action was taken against the maximum 184 vehicles by SIPU Shambhu, 172 by SIPU Ludhiana, 158 by SIPU Patiala and 134 by SIPU Ropar. He said that under this campaign against tax evaders, SIPU Shambhu imposed the maximum fines of Rs 3.21 crores and recovered fines of Rs 3.18 crores. Similarly, SIPU Patiala recovered Rs 2.67 crore out of the total fines of Rs 2.80 crore.

      Congratulating the SIPU teams for the success of this campaign, Harpal Singh Cheema encouraged them to improve their performance further as the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan is providing all kinds of modern technology and tools to the department to provide all possible assistance to the honest taxpayers and tightening the noose around the tax evaders.

        Revealing that more than 22000 persons have downloaded the newly launched Mera Bill app, the Finance Minister appealed to the general public of the state to be a part of this campaign of strengthening fiscal health of the state through the mobile app ‘Mera Bill’.