📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Suyash Dwivedi
Crime
Bhopal Merchant's GST Account Hacked, 989 Fake Invoices Worth ₹8.09 Crore Uploaded
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 13 Oct 2026, 03:45 PM
👁 16
Investigators have uncovered a cyber‑fraud case in Bhopal where a merchant’s GST portal was breached, leading to the upload of 989 counterfeit invoices totaling ₹8.09 crore and an attempted tax evasion of ₹1.46 crore.
Police in Bhopal have confirmed that a merchant’s GST account was compromised, allowing the upload of 989 fraudulent invoices amounting to ₹8.09 crore. The fraudulent activity also involved an attempt to siphon off ₹1.46 crore in tax payments. The breach was detected during a routine audit of GST submissions.
The investigation revealed that the hacker accessed the merchant’s login credentials through a phishing attack and used them to create and submit the fake invoices. The invoices were then processed by the GST system, creating a false record of sales and tax liabilities.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched a formal probe and has requested the merchant’s cooperation. Authorities are also reviewing the security protocols of the GST portal to prevent similar incidents.
If the allegations are proven, the merchant could face severe penalties under the GST Act, including fines and potential criminal charges for fraud and tax evasion.
The investigation revealed that the hacker accessed the merchant’s login credentials through a phishing attack and used them to create and submit the fake invoices. The invoices were then processed by the GST system, creating a false record of sales and tax liabilities.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched a formal probe and has requested the merchant’s cooperation. Authorities are also reviewing the security protocols of the GST portal to prevent similar incidents.
If the allegations are proven, the merchant could face severe penalties under the GST Act, including fines and potential criminal charges for fraud and tax evasion.