Sambhal GST Raid: ₹33 Crore Undisclosed Jewelry Seized in 21-Hour Operation

Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh: In a major crackdown against tax evasion, the GST department conducted a high-profile raid in Sambhal, seizing undisclosed gold, silver, and diamond jewelry worth approximately ₹33 crore. The operation, which lasted nearly 21 hours, also resulted in a tax penalty of ₹1.20 crore being collected on the spot.

Raid Targets Jeweler’s Showroom and Residence
According to reports, the state tax department acted on intelligence indicating that some traders were exploiting rising gold and silver rates to carry out transactions without proper documentation. Based on these inputs, a probe was initiated under the direction of RA Seth, Additional Commissioner Grade-2 (Commercial Tax Discipline).

After about a month of surveillance, a jeweler in Sambhal was identified for investigation. On February 4, a 10-member enforcement team from the Moradabad zone simultaneously raided the trader’s showroom and residence. The operation uncovered large-scale undisclosed inventory.

Seized Jewelry and Documentation
During the raid, the jeweler could not produce valid purchase documents for the stock. The official stock register recorded only 439 grams of gold jewelry and 120 kilograms of silver jewelry. However, GST officials recovered 16.638 kilograms of gold jewelry, 875 kilograms of silver jewelry, and 34.43 carats of diamonds from the premises.

The seized jewelry has been confiscated, and all related papers and mobile phones containing business data have also been secured. The total market value of the undisclosed stock is estimated at around ₹33 crore. The investigation is ongoing.

Impact on Local Jewelry Traders
The GST department’s action has sent shockwaves through Sambhal’s jewelry trade. Key officials involved in the operation included Deputy Commissioners Bamdev Tripathi and Uttam Tiwari, Assistant Commissioner Ranjay Yadav, Akhilesh Kumar, and Pooja Dixit.