PAN Misuse Scam: UP Sweet Shop Owner Slapped With Rs. 141 Crore Income Tax Notice

A small sweet shop owner has received an income tax notice demanding an unbelievable amount of money. The notice was sent by the Income Tax Department accusing him of tax evasion worth more than Rs. 141 crore.

According to News18 report, the shop owner, Sudhir Gupta, runs a modest sweet shop in the Nayaganj area of Khurja Nagar Kotwali. According to him, his earnings are very limited. On average, he makes between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 12,000 a month by selling sweets from his home. Gupta says that he has never handled business worth crores, let alone hundreds of crores.

When the notice of Rs. 1,41,28,47,126 reached his house, his family was left stunned and deeply distressed. “It is unimaginable. I am just a small businessman. I have never done business of crores. Suddenly, such a big notice came and my entire family is devastated,” Gupta told reporters.

Initial investigations suggest that Gupta is the victim of identity theft. Some companies based in Delhi allegedly misused his Aadhaar card and PAN card to carry out financial transactions worth billions. By using his documents, the companies created records of large business dealings in his name. This shifted the burden of unpaid taxes onto him even though he had no knowledge of these activities.

After receiving the notice, Gupta filed a written complaint at his local police station. An FIR was registered and the police have begun investigating the matter. Officials have assured him that corrective steps will be taken.

This is not the first time Gupta has faced such a nightmare. In 2022, he was also served with a similar notice linked to fraudulent transactions. He believes that organised fraud networks are repeatedly targeting small businessmen like him who are less familiar with digital risks.

Gupta has appealed to the police and authorities to bring the real culprits to justice and to protect innocent people from such scams. Cybercrime experts also warn that cases of PAN and Aadhaar misuse are rising across the country, putting many small traders and labourers at risk.

For now, Gupta and his family are waiting for clarity and hoping for relief from the authorities.

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