SGST raids Jain Store in Assam’s Dhubri, penalty nears Rs 2 crore; Rs 1.5 crore paid

The State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) department has imposed penalties nearing Rs 2 crore following a multi-day search operation at Jain Store, a trading establishment in the Dhanpatti area of Dhubri town, official sources said.

The operation was conducted from October 7 to 12 by an enforcement team from Guwahati, with assistance from local SGST officials in Dhubri. Of the total penalty amount, Rs 1.5 crore has reportedly been paid, while the remaining amount is to be settled within a stipulated timeframe.

During the operation, officials also searched five warehouses associated with the establishment at different locations across Dhubri town.

The investigation subsequently extended to a multi-storey residential building in Ward No. 2 belonging to the establishment’s proprietor, where officials carried out financial scrutiny and examined documents.

The raiding team reportedly seized a desktop computer, financial documents and account registers as part of the investigation.

Jain Store is a trading establishment dealing primarily in kitchen essentials and dry goods, including cumin and dates, as well as seasonal items such as firecrackers.

Senior SGST officials did not issue a formal public statement during the operation. Sources said the department was processing the penalties through its online systems following a detailed audit of the collected data.

The precise nature of the alleged tax discrepancies and the department’s final findings have not been officially disclosed.