Observing that ‘white collar offences are more serious than offences like murder and dacoity,’ the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High court rejected petitions filed by four businesspersons who were booked for a ‘fraud’ evading Goods and Services Tax (GST) by producing fake invoices.

As per a report in The Indian Express, the court held that as the applicants delayed proceedings under the pretext of COVID-19 infection and had received undue interim relief, thus, such orders causing damage to the image of judiciary and therefore a cost of Rs 25,000 be paid by each (total Rs. 1 lakh) to GST authorities within four weeks as cost of petitions and dismissed their pleas.