SIT fast-tracks GST evasion probe into Messi, Argentina team’s 2025 Kerala visit
Officials said the investigation will likely lay the legal groundwork for a sweeping anti-corruption enquiry into the high-profile plan that turned into a fiasco amid a storm of hype, despite the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s active backing
The Kerala Finance Department’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has accelerated its inquiry into the suspected Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion related to foreign remittances made by a private firm for the 2025 Kerala visit of the Argentine football team, led by Lionel Messi. The investigation, headed by GST Deputy Commissioner C Brijesh, is expected to establish the legal basis for a comprehensive anti-corruption probe into the high-profile plan that faced ridicule despite the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s support.
The SIT is set to collect statements from tax officials who raised concerns about suspected evasion in 2025, focusing on why the investigation was halted despite GST intelligence flagging a ₹126 crore wire transfer to a foreign entity, triggering a service tax obligation of ₹22.68 crore. The sponsoring company, under scrutiny, only responded to GST notices in August, claiming it owed no service tax as the event did not occur.
The government may refer evidence of the firm’s registration with minimal capital to the Registrar of Companies and the Serious Fraud Investigation Office. The SIT’s findings might also prompt investigations by the Enforcement Directorate or the Central Bureau of Investigation based on banking data or a vigilance case.
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