Punjab and Haryana HC Grants Bail in Alleged ₹156 Crore GST Evasion Case

Navinder Singh Saiidev Vs Directorate General of Gst Intelligence (Punjab and Haryana High court)

Summary: The Punjab and Haryana High Court allowed two first petitions for regular bail arising from an investigation into an alleged online money-gaming network. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence alleged that the petitioners used sham or non-functional companies, payment gateways and bank accounts to route gaming receipts while declaring only commission in GST returns. It estimated the resulting GST evasion at approximately ₹156 crore. According to the department, Manish Kumar Aggarwal was the CEO of M/s. Dhanik Traders (OPC) Private Limited, which acted as the network’s central payment hub, while Narinder Singh Sahdev was its director and the proprietor of M/s Vansh Enterprises. These were allegations before the Court, not findings made on the merits of the prosecution.

The petitioners submitted that the investigation was complete, the relevant documents had been seized, and the proposed evidence was principally digital or documentary. They disputed the weight of WhatsApp chats and co-accused persons’ disclosure statements and argued that their continued detention served no purpose. The department opposed bail, citing the scale of the alleged evasion, the petitioners’ asserted central roles and the network of dummy entities.

The Court noted that the petitioners had been in custody since 01.05.2026, for four months and two days; the alleged offences carried a maximum imprisonment of five years and were triable by a Magistrate. It also noted that the investigation had concluded, the proposed evidence was documentary, the witnesses were officials, and an early conclusion of the trial appeared unlikely. Referring to decisions granting bail in comparable GST prosecutions, the Court held that further detention would serve no useful purpose, without commenting on the merits of the case.