Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday directed the Tax department to ensure that no innocent businessmen were hounded amid allegations of harassment in the name of tax realisation by various traders' bodies and the opposition Samajwadi Party.
Action should be taken only against those traders against whom there is solid evidence, he said.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in a statement here said the BJP was harassing traders with GST raids to create fear.
"These days, the BJP government is harassing traders in the name of GST inquiries. They (traders) are closing markets in protest.
"The negative attitude towards businessmen will reduce trade in the state. GST raids are a new way of corruption and to extort money," Yadav said.
In a statement on Monday, Adityanath appreciated the contribution of businessmen and entrepreneurs in the development of India and Uttar Pradesh.
"It should be ensured that no innocent businessmen were harassed and action taken against only those against whom there is solid evidence," Adityanath said. He also directed officials to collect solid information and do reiki before proceeding with the raids as theft of revenue was a national loss.
Investigating agencies have identified 2,558 defaulters through use of Artificial Intelligence as part of the state government's crackdown on tax evaders.
One of the defaulters caught is a company in Pilkhua of Hapur district that manufactures bed sheets. It has an actual turnover of Rs 25 crore but has not deposited tax in cash even once, according to an official statement.
Another company caught for tax evasion is engaged in manufacturing and servicing heavy vehicles in Gorakhpur's GIDA, it said.
Artificial Intelligence-based data analysis has identified 2,558 such traders whose purchase, sale and tax payment due as per rules had mismatch, it said. After an in-depth study of such irregularities, action is being taken with a zone-wise strategy.
Only these identified traders were checked during the proceedings, it said, adding that the action was a routine exercise.
The help of Artificial Intelligence is being taken to prevent tax evasion on the instructions of the chief minister. Records of purchase and sale of every registered trader are available on the Tax department's Boweb portal, according to the statement.
Direct monitoring of tax evaders is being done with the help of BIFA - Business Intelligence and Fraud Analysis software.