The Central Government intends to increase the penalty and punishment to crack down the identity theft and PAN-Aadhaar misuses. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has been tracing many ITC rackets who claimed fake ITC claims through fake entities. The modus operandi followed by them is creating fake companies using PAN of other innocent people or they buy PAN cards from the holders for less amount.
As per a finance ministry official, the existing punishment and penalty for the improper usage of PAN cards are deemed insufficient. To address this concern, the Ministry of Finance has recommended an increase in the penalty and punishment, which is intended to be included in the proposed Data Protection Bill.
This recommendation has been forwarded to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity), and it is expected to be introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament. The monsoon session will start on July 20th 2023 and continue till August 11th 2023 in the old building of the parliament.
Identity theft is a serious crime and it should be taken seriously. The GST intelligence wing continuously identified a great number of GST frauds using the identity theft and pan-aadhar misuse.
Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) intended to implement biometric authentication and geo-tagging as a measure to counter the proliferation of fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) registrations. This was to avoid the GST frauds.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is still in its early stages, but its potential misuse by individuals can pose challenges for the general public. It is crucial for the relevant ministry to implement effective measures to punish those who exploit this technology, thereby safeguarding potential victims. It is advisable to impose substantial penalties and punishments in advance, rather than waiting for an offence to occur. By doing so, proactive action can be taken to deter misuse and protect individuals from potential harm.
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