GST Inspection, Search & Seizure

 Chapter 1       GST in India — An Overview                                              

Chapter 2       Search, Seizure and Summons: Legal Framework                 

Chapter 3       Legal Terminology and Principles of Interpretation              

Annexure 3.1           Text of Circular No. 1/1/2017, dated 26.06.2017

Annexure 3.2           Text of Circular No. 3/3/2017-GST, dated 05.07.2017

Annexure 3.3           Text of Circular No. 31/05/2018-GST, dated 09.02.2018

Annexure 3.4           Text of Circular No. 157/13/2021-GST, dated 20.07.2021

Annexure 3.5           Text of Circular No. 169/01/2022-GST, dated 12.03.2022

Annexure 3.6           Text of Instruction No. 02/2021-22 [GST-Investigation], dated 22.09.2021

Chapter 4       Inspection, Search & Seizure                                                 

Annexure 4.1           Text of Rules 139, 140 and 141 of Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (CGST Rules, 2017)

Annexure 4.2           Text of Forms GST INS-01, GST INS-02, GST INS-03, GST INS-04 and GST INS-05 of Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (CGST Rules, 2017)

Annexure 4.3(A)     (A) Text of sections 47, 51, 94, 99, 100, 101,103, 165 and 166 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Annexure 4.3(B)     (B) Text of Sections 44, 49, 97, 102, 103, 104, 108, 185 and 186 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Annexure 4.4           Text of F. No. GST/INV/DGOV Reference/20-21, dated 02.02.2021

Annexure 4.5           Text of Notification No. 27/2018-Central Tax, dated 13.06.2018

Annexure 4.6           Text of letter No. CBEC/20/43/01/2017-GST(PT), dated 05.10.2018-(Jurisdiction for Intelligence based Enforcement action)

Annexure 4.7           Text of Notification No. 02/2022-Central Tax dated 11.03.2022

Annexure 4.8           Text of CBIC Instruction No. 01/2022-23 (GST-Investigation), dated 25.05.2022

Annexure 4.9           Text of DGGI Instruction F. No. DGGI/17/2023-INV-O/o Pr DG-DGGI-HQ-DELHI(1) dated 08.02.2024 –

Annexure 4.10         Text of Instruction No. 01/2023-24-GST (Inv.) dated 30.03.2024

Chapter 5       Inspection of Goods in Movement                                        

Annexure 5.1           Text of Circular No. 3/3/2017-GST dated 05.07.2017

Annexure 5.2           Text of Circular No. 41/15/2018-GST dated 13.04.2018

Annexure 5.3           Text of Circular No. 47/21/2018-GST dated 08.06.2018

Annexure 5.4           Text of Circular No. 49/23/2018-GST dated 21.06.2018

Annexure 5.5           Text of Circular No. 64/38/2018-GST dated 14.09.2018

Annexure 5.6           Text of Circular No. 122/41/2019-GST dated 05.11.2019

Annexure 5.7           Text of Rules 138, 138A, 138B, 138C, 138D, 138E, 138F and 140 of CGST Rules, 2017

Chapter 6       Arrest & Bail                                                                          

Annexure 6.1A        Text of Instruction No. 02/2022-23 (GST-Investigation) dated 17.08.2022

Annexure 6.1B        Text of Instruction No. 01/2025-GST dated 13.10.2025 - Amendment in Guidelines dated 17.08.2022

Annexure 6.2           Text of Instruction No. 04/2022-23 (GST-Investigation) dated 01.09.2022

Annexure 6.3           Text of CBIC– Issuance of lookout Circulars Instruction No. 30/2025 dated 13.10.2025

Chapter 7       Summon Proceedings                                                            

Annexure 7.1           Text of Sections 172, 175, 179, 193 and 228 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 206, 210, 214, 229 and 267 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Annexure 7.2           Text of sample summons under section 70 of CGST Act, 2017

Annexure 7.3           Text of Instruction No. 03/2022-23 (GST-Investigation) dated 17.08.2022 issued by GST-Investigation Wing, CBIC New Delhi-Guidelines for issuance of summons u/s 70 of CGST Act, 2017

Annexure 7.4           Text of Press Release ID 2095881 dated 24.01.2025 – CBIC cautions on fraudulent practices in summons

Annexure 7.5           Text of Circular No. 03/2025 dated 20.06.2025 issued by Directorate of Enforcement, Government of India – Directive for issuance of summons to legal practitioners/advocates/lawyers

Chapter 8       Access to business premises and Proper Officers                  

Chapter 9       Detention, Seizure and Release of Goods and Conveyance in Transit         

Annexure 9.1           Text of Rules 138B, 138C, 138D, 140, 141, 142, 144, 144A of Central Goods and Services Tax, 2017 (CGST Rules, 2017)                                   

Annexure 9.2           Text of Circular No. 6/2022 dated 06.04.2022 issued by Kerala State Commissioner of GST, Government of Kerala (Clarification on detention of goods in the course of transportation on the ground of undervaluation)    

Annexure 9.3           Text of Circular No. 10/2022 dated 10.11.2022 issued by Commissioner State GST Department, Kerala (Instruction related to detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances U/s 129 of the SGST/CGST Act, 2017)             

Annexure 9.4           Extracts of Circular No. 10/2019 dated 31.05.2019 issued by Government of Tamil Nadu (Protocol to be followed by Proper Officers in respect of the functions envisaged under section 129)                                                                     

Annexure 9.5           Text of Circular No. IW1/3365394/2022 dated 10.01.2023 issued by Principal Secretary/Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Government of Tamil Nadu (Clarification on power, roles and responsibilities of Roving Squad Officers)             

Chapter 10     Confiscation of Goods (Confiscation & Penalty in relation to Goods & Services)  

Chapter 11     Offences                                                                                

Annexure 11.1         Text of Rules 162 and 163 of Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (CGST Rules, 2017)

Annexure 11.2         Forms GST CPD-01 and GST CPD-02 of Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (CGST Rules, 2017)

Annexure 11.3         Text of Section 320 of Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC, 1973)

Annexure 11.4         Text of Section 359 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Chapter 12     Fake Invoices and Tax Evasion  (Including reported cases) 

Annexure 12.1         Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for utilising the fake invoice Issuers dataset by SGST authorities — reg

Annexure 12.2         Text of Press Releases/Media Reports in practices of tax evasion relating to GST Frauds/Fake or Bogus Invoices/Input Tax Credit Scams      

Annexure 12.3         Text of CBIC Circular No. 171/03/2022-GST dated 06.07.2022 in relation to transactions involving fake invoices                                                 

Annexure 12.4         Text of Rules 46, 46A, 47 and 48 of CGST Rules, 2017        

Annexure 12.5         Text of Forms GSTR 1, GSTR 1A and GST-INV-01               

Appendix 1    Abbreviations used in the Book