Chandigarh: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday said the state taxation department recovered Rs 1,137.8 crore during 2025-26 as part of its crackdown on tax evasion, claiming a sharp rise in enforcement and revenue realisation.In a statement, Cheema said the department imposed penalties of Rs 1,383.1 crore during the financial year, of which over Rs 1,137 crore had already been recovered.He said inspection-based enforcement was the main driver, accounting for Rs 1,215.9 crore in penalties and Rs 972.15 crore in recoveries, while road checking operations contributed Rs 165.71 crore.Cheema said the performance marked a major jump over 2024-25, when inspection-based action had led to Rs 147.3 crore in penalties and Rs 41.53 crore in recoveries, while road checking recoveries stood at Rs 157.1 crore.Calling it a “transformational shift” in enforcement, the minister said the department also registered eight FIRs and made 15 arrests during the year.He said two major FIRs involving seven individuals had exposed fraudulent transactions worth Rs 385 crore and uncovered tax evasion of Rs 69.57 crore through firms allegedly issuing invoices without actual supply of goods.
