Did Tata Steel Receive a GST Show-Cause Notice for Alleged Rs 1,000 Crore Tax Credit Irregularity?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Tata Steel received a significant GST notice over alleged credit misuse.
- The notice claims irregularities exceeding Rs 1,000 crore.
- The company has already paid Rs 514.19 crore in GST.
- The actual tax burden could be reduced to around Rs 493.35 crore.
- Tata Steel plans to contest the notice, asserting it lacks merit.
Mumbai, June 29 (NationPress) Tata Steel announced on Sunday that it has been issued a show-cause-cum-demand notice by the tax department regarding an alleged misuse of input tax credit exceeding Rs 1,000 crore for the financial years 2018-19 to 2022-23.
In a communication to the stock exchanges, the company detailed that the notice was delivered by the Office of the Commissioner (Audit), Central Tax, Ranchi, on June 28.
"On June 28, Tata Steel Limited received a notice dated June 27 from the Office of the Commissioner (Audit), Central Tax, Ranchi, which proposes to disallow/demand primarily due to alleged irregularities in the availment of Input Tax Credit in contravention of the provisions of Section 74(1) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and the State Goods and Services Act, 2017, along with Section 20 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, covering the period from FY2018-19 to FY2022-23," the firm stated in its filing.
The tax authority has instructed Tata Steel to justify, within 30 days, why the GST amounting to Rs 1,007.54 crore should not be claimed and recovered from the company.
The required explanation must be presented to the Additional or Joint Commissioner of Central GST & Central Excise in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.
The notice alleges that Tata Steel improperly claimed input tax credit, violating GST rules—specifically Section 74(1) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and Section 20 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.
Tata Steel has emphasized that it has already remitted Rs 514.19 crore as GST in the normal course of its business operations.
This payment is proposed to be factored in the notice, potentially lowering the company’s actual tax liability to around Rs 493.35 crore.
The company has expressed its belief that the notice lacks merit and plans to present its case before the authorities within the stipulated timeframe.
Additionally, Tata Steel noted that this situation does not impede its financial, operational, or other business functionalities.
Under the GST framework, businesses can claim input tax credit for taxes paid on purchases utilized in the production of goods or services, aiding in the reduction of their overall tax obligations.