Punjab Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday announced the unearthing of a multi-state GST fraud network involving a suspected taxable value of Rs 2,410.22 crore and alleged tax evasion of Rs 429.30 crore.Cheema said an FIR (No. 0185, dated October 13) was registered at the Division No. 4 police station in Ludhiana, following intelligence gathered by the State Intelligence and Preventive Unit (SIPU).The case names Harsh Thapar, proprietor of Shree Balaji Transport Company, along with Sammy Dhiman, Jass and other alleged accomplices. The FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the BNS and Section 132 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, the minister said.The investigation began on September 30, when a SIPU state tax officer in Ludhiana intercepted a vehicle (DL01AR-1775) transporting goods purportedly from Delhi to Punjab.According to Cheema, the accompanying e-way bills and invoices showed supplies to three Punjab-based firms. However, the declared recipients denied placing orders or purchasing the goods when contacted.The subsequent investigation allegedly uncovered a network of firms moving goods using non-genuine documents. Using data analytics and e-way bill records, the department identified 62 interconnected firms operating across several states, including 25 in Punjab, the minister said.Cheema said the syndicate operated primarily during the financial years 2025-26 and 2026-27. The transporter allegedly played a key role by receiving fake invoices from other entities and filling Part B of e-way bills to facilitate the transactions. The minister asserted that the government was committed to tackling tax evasion and bringing those responsible to justice.