Mafia controls city markets

Black marketing rampant at traditional wholesale markets in city

The traditional wholesale markets in Hyderabad— Osmangunj, Afzalgunj, Begum Bazaar among others—have become black market hubs for several interstate networks.

The black market mafia based in Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and other states importing sugar, pulses and other commodities have been operating over the years without paying sales tax.

Over the years, a loss of over `300 crore per annum to the state’s exchequer has been estimated due to the black market network.

This was revealed during the intensive raids, and examinations taken up in the last few months by the departmental enforcement team.

“Trucks loaded with pulses, sugar and other commodities from Chattisgarah and other states, where sales tax is exempted, are found illegally selling in the state under ‘transit pass’,” said a senior official with Telangana Commercial Tax Department.

“Transit passes are issued to loaded trucks and vehicles at the entrance check post of the state allowing it geographically to pass from the state (using the route) without any checks and submit it at the other border check post (indicating that the load has not been delivered within the state), where the loaded vehicle is leaving the state,” explained an official.

However, though the records at the check posts show the vehicle has passed along with the load, the vehicles are found delivering the goods within the state evading tax.

“The highest consumption of these black marketed goods is found to be in wholesale markets of Hyderabad including Maharajgunj, Afzalgunj, Osmangunj, Begum Baz- aar and others, where retailers buy goods to sell at their respective outlets,” said the official with the departmental enforcement wing.

The investigating official added that with an evasion of over `1 crore per day an estimated loss of `300 crore per annum has occurred to the state’s exchequer.

The network of these black market agencies is so strong that even if a single vehicle is detained they get alerted.

Special teams formed by the enforcement wing have been tracking vehicles. “More than 100 vehicles have been detained in just a few weeks that have been illegally delivering the goods with transit passes,” said Anil Kumar, commissioner, Telangana State Commercial Tax Department.