The Finance Ministry has flagged concerns to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to initiate an urgent investigation into complaints of an alleged massive data leak scandal involving the sale of confidential GST filings and e-Way Bills, sources told CNBC TV18.Alerting the central board of indirect taxes and customs upon representations received by the CA association, calling the data leak a massive “scam”, sources added that North Block is actively looking into the allegations and investigations are underway.
The representations claim that the scam, which has sent shockwaves across trade and tax circles, appears to be orchestrated by a gang operating under the name “Data Solution”, with Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Noida emerging as its operational hubs.
The leak was first flagged by the Surat Chartered Accountants Association (CAAS) in a letter to the Finance Minister earlier this week.According to sources who are privy to the development, “the representations say that confidential taxpayer data—including GSTR-1, GSTR-2B, GSTR-3B, and e-Way Bills—was being illegally sold in the black market in a package-based system, with rates ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 depending on the level of detail required.”The representations add that the illegal sale of three-month and six-month data bundles was enabling unscrupulous traders to replicate the operations of competitors, undermining fair trade and business ethics, sources added.”According to documents reviewed by CAAS, basic GSTR-1 details are being offered for ₹8,000 to ₹10,000, while comprehensive packages—containing 2B, 3B, and e-Way Bill data—are being sold for ₹15,000 for three months. In some cases, clients were reportedly charged up to ₹25,000 for deep-dive profiles that include transaction histories, HSN codes, and buyer-supplier details,” sources shared who are looking into these allegations.The association claims to have come across leaked WhatsApp chats between brokers and clients, one of which outlined the availability of “normal domestic data” and advanced bundles tailored to specific client demands.Experts say the incident could have far-reaching consequences for business competitiveness and tax compliance.A senior official in the Ministry, who requested anonymity, said “The matter has been taken very seriously. The CBIC has been asked to coordinate with enforcement agencies to investigate the source of the leaks and shut down the racket.”The incident has also renewed scrutiny on the cybersecurity framework of the GST Network (GSTN). Analysts say this breach underscores the need for a comprehensive audit of government data systems.
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