PUNE: The Shivajinagar police on Thursday registered two FIRs against jailed developer D S Kulkarni, his wife Hemanti and son Shirish on charges of evasion of Goods and Services Tax ( GST ) to the tune of over Rs52 crore in the sale of apartments as well as motor vehicles.The first FIR is in relation to the sale of apartments between 2006 and 2009 in housing projects developed by DSK Developers Limited (DSKDL), while the second FIR is to do with the sale of vehicles through DSK Motors between 2015 and 2017.GST officials have frozen five bank accounts and sealed two showrooms at Bavdhan and Hadapsar after Kulkarni and others failed to pay the tax.Kulkarni, his wife and son are lodged at Yerawada central prison in connection with the Rs2,043 crore economic fraud said to have being committed through their companies.Sales tax inspector Ganesh Prithviraj Kulkarni, who registered the first FIR, told TOI,”Kulkarni and his family members had constructed many housing societies and sold a large number of flats. However, due to financial constraints, they failed to pay 1% GST per property, which amounts to Rs4,78,56,993 in 2006-07 and Rs8,28,42,510 (totally worth Rs13,06,99,503) in 2008-09.” The department also issued demand and recovery notices under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code against the Kulkarnis asking them to repay the tax within the stipulated time period.“We gave them sufficient opportunity to clear the dues, but they did not deposit the tax. We issued a final notice and froze DSKDL’s two bank accounts,” he added.Sales tax inspector Amol Balaram Aher, who registered the second FIR, explained, “The Kulkarnis run the DSK Toyota showroom at Bavdhan and Hadapsar. They had filed returns at the GST office providing details of the tax to be paid for the year between 2015 and 2017, but they did not deposit the amount. An assessment report on the number of motor vehicles sold since 2013-14 revealed that the Kulkarnis had failed to pay dues amounting to Rs39,19,43,297.”Aher said, “We then issued notices to the Kulkarnis directing them to deposit taxes within a specific period. Since the developer and others failed to pay the tax, we issued notices and froze three of DSK Motors’ bank accounts.”The department also sealed the Bavdhan and Hadapsar showrooms on July 20 and November 9, 2017.“A revenue officer of the rank of tehsildar will be appointed to auction the showrooms to recover the dues,” he added.Shivajinagar police’s senior inspector Appasaheb Waghmale pointed out that the two FIRs have been filed but the investigation is based on documentary evidence. “We are in the process of collecting documents from the disputed parties. We will study the documents, record statements of witnesses and file charge sheets after seeking legal opinion,” Waghmale said.

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