Harpal Singh Cheema warns total evasion may touch ₹500 crore as investigation expands.
Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema revealed a massive turnover evasion racket across dhabas, eateries, and restaurants. The Bhagwant Mann Government has launched a technology-driven crackdown to protect public revenue.
- 882 establishments under scanner.
- ₹2.02 crore already recovered.
- Investigation covers FY 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26.
- Systemic under-reporting exposed in high-cash segments.
Evasion Breakdown by Sector
- Dhabas: ₹10 crore suppression.
- Small eateries, coffee, and chai bars: ₹8 crore.
- Pizza and fast-food outlets: ₹6 crore.
Major Urban Centres Under Scrutiny
- Mohali: ₹8.16 crore (Highest suppression).
- Jalandhar: ₹6.72 crore.
- Ludhiana: ₹5.48 crore.
- Patiala: ₹3.83 crore.
- Amritsar: ₹0.99 crore.
Taxpayer Discrepancies
- 3 taxpayers: Suppression above ₹2 crore.
- 6 taxpayers: Suppression above ₹1 crore.
- 18 taxpayers: Suppression above ₹50 lakh.
- 91 taxpayers: Suppression above ₹5 lakh.
The crackdown is powered by the Tax Intelligence Unit (TIU), State Investigation and Preventive Unit (SIPU), and the ‘Bill Liyao, Inam Pao’ scheme. Data analytics and comparative analysis with GST returns identified the discrepancies.
The Department is now obtaining UPI transaction data and digital payment trails for deeper reconciliation. Verification and recovery for remaining cases are expected to be completed within one month.
CHANDIGARH, 30 March 2026
