The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe cases of fraud in the textile industry has shelved more than 1,000 applications which were around three years old and in which the accused persons were not traceable. The city’s principal textile traders’ association has also told its members that if they have the GST numbers and contact details of defaulters, then these complaints can be re-registered. Also, if there is more than one cheating complaint against a defaulter, then the SIT will investigate it after registering an FIR.
The SIT for textile industry, which was formed in October 2020, has helped recover more than Rs 29 crore through settlements in hundreds of fraud cases. An office-bearer of the Maskati Cloth Market Mahajan said, “About 2,500 complaints have been submitted by traders to the SIT through the mahajan and settlements have been made in 985 cases till last year. In 2022, 1,300 applications, the highest so far, were filed and Rs 8.14 crore was recovered.”
Gaurang Bhagat, president, Maskati Cloth Market Mahajan, said, “The SIT has helped the textile industry in a big way in the last three years. More than 1,000 unresolved applications that were filed three years ago have been shelved because the defaulters were untraceable, or their shops did not exist. However, traders can re-register their application through the association if they have the GST number, mobile number and the address of the defaulter. They will have to contact the SIT first and can then send their complaint to the association. The arbitration committee of the association will also take up these complaints and initiate necessary steps to ensure that the traders get their money back.”
He added that cases where a single buyer has not paid money to more than one supplier will be investigated thoroughly by the SIT.
“Ahmedabad’s textile industry has seen many cases where traders from Gujarat and other states initially pay well for the fabric they purchase, but after gaining confidence of the supplier, they place a huge order and then fail to pay up. Such fraudsters, who have cheated more than one trader, will now have to face FIR,” said Bhagat.
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