Authorities Uncover Five-Year Network Supplying ‘Sitar’ Gutkha Across State

A comprehensive investigation by the Chhattisgarh GST department has revealed a five-year long operation that produced and distributed the “Sitar” brand of Gutkha, a tobacco-laden chew popular in the region. The probe, covering the period from FY 2021-22 to FY 2024-25, led to a tax liability and penalty bill of around ₹317 crore being levied on the chief trader, Gurmakh Jumani.

The network was organized around a set of factories in Joratari and Ganiyari, where the bulk of the Gutkha was packaged. Subsequent raids exposed a linked unit – Komal Food Factory in Rajnandgaon – which was being used to process raw material for the chew despite being registered for different items.