The apex intelligence and investigating agency for matters relating to violation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), central excise duty and service tax, said in the message posted on its website that paying the right amount of tax is a social responsibility towards the nation and since taxes are the main source of government finance, evasion of taxes hurts everybody and hampers the larger task of nation building.

"We would urge all citizens to join hands with us in the task of bringing evaders of indirect taxes such as central excise duty, service tax and GST to the books. Contact us through letter, phone, e-mail, website or in person wherever you feel that there is a tax evader in the shadows. We promise that we will take action. We promise you confidentiality and a monetary reward too in cases where your information has led to a recovery of taxes," said the message from Surjit Bhujabal, Director General of the probe agency. Bhujabal took charge as the Director General of GST Intelligence earlier this month from senior revenue official Alok Shukla who completed his term on 10 October.

As per guidelines issued under statutes like the Central GST Act, Customs Act, Central Excise Act and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, rewards are granted to informers and government servants.

These guidelines are applicable to those who give information relating to assets, immovable properties of persons from whom arrears of duty, tax, fine and penalty are recoverable and the information results in the recovery of arrears. The guidelines are also applicable to government servants who put in commendable efforts at tax recovery, as per information on these guidelines available from DGGI's portal.

Informers and government servants are eligible for reward up to 20% of the net sale-proceeds of the contraband goods seized and/or amount of duties/ service tax evaded plus amount of penalty levied and recovered, the DGGI reward scheme showed.