As per details, the officials were apparently investigating possible GST violations by the firm, which is a 50:50 joint venture between the Adani conglomerate and Singapore-based Wilmar.

The inspection comes at a time when the Adani Group is facing flak after a scathing report by US-based Hindenburg Research, publihed on 24 January.

Though the excise department official said that it was a "routine" exercise, which was made by an Adani Wilmar statement later too.

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According to the excise and taxation department officials, last year the company's business stood at ₹135 crore. But the entire goods and services tax (GST) input was adjusted through tax credit but no payment was made in cash. "We found many discrepancies while scrutinising the records. The raids are still continuing," HT quoted the joint commissioner, excise and taxation, south zone, GD Thakur as saying.

The inspection also came at a time when the Congress government in the state is mediating talks to end a two-month-long deadlock between the firm that has shut its two cement plants after a dispute over freight rates with truck unions.

Adani Wilmar, which has a warehouse of grocery items at Parwanoo, supplies grocery goods to the civil supplies department and the police department in the state.

Meanwhile, Adani Wilmar issued a statement. "One of Adani Wilmar's depot warehouse at Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, was visited by GST officials yesterday (Wednesday) evening. The staff extended their support during this routine inspection, fully co-operating with the officials and local authorities," the Adani Wilmar spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.

It added, officials who visited the warehouse did not find any irregularities. It also said that all operations by the company are in 'full compliance with relevant laws and regulations'.

"The officials did not find any irregularities in the operations and dealings conducted by the company. We would like to clarify that the concerns specific to GST payments in cash, citing GST law under Rule 86B, the company is not required to pay the tax liability," it said.

"We would like to emphasise that this was a routine inspection carried out by the relevant authorities and there was no raid as previously stated or reported in the media," the spokesperson said, adding all operations at the depot are functioning normally after the GST officials' inspection.

Adani Group has seven firms doing business in state.