SMJ & Associates

28/09/2026

GST Audit Insight: Can absence of toll-plaza records prove that goods were not moved?

A recent GSTAT observation highlights an important principle in GST litigation and audit documentation.

In a Bill-to-Ship-to transaction, goods may be dispatched directly from a location other than the invoicing supplier’s registered premises.

Therefore, the absence of toll-plaza records, by itself, does not establish that the transaction never took place.

The GSTAT considered the complete documentary trail, including:

✅ Tax invoices
✅ E-way bills
✅ Transport documents / bilities
✅ Shipping bills & EGM
✅ Banking records
✅ GST returns
✅ Other transaction and export documents

🔎 Key takeaway for GST practitioners

GST proceedings should not necessarily be decided on the basis of one missing piece of evidence.

The entire documentary trail and the commercial nature of the transaction need to be examined together.

Absence of toll data ≠ automatic proof that goods were never moved.

📌 Case: Pr Commissioner, CGST & CX, Siliguri v. Agarwala’s Bitumex Pvt. Ltd. — Kolkata GSTAT

This is an important point for GST audits, departmental proceedings, ITC/refund matters and export transactions, particularly where goods move under a Bill-to-Ship-to arrangement.

Follow for more practical GST, Income Tax & Audit insights.

28/09/2026

I WISH MORE AUDITORS KNEW THESE 10 THINGS. THEY COULD COMPLETELY CHANGE YOUR CAREER.

Auditing teaches you some lessons that no textbook really prepares you for.

Here are 10 things I wish more auditors knew:

1. You do not need to know everything.
You need to know how to ask the right questions and where to find the answer.

2. Understanding the business will take you further than memorising audit procedures.
When you understand how the business makes money, spends money and loses money, your audit changes.

3. Your communication skills matter as much as your technical skills.
A brilliant finding poorly communicated can create unnecessary resistance.

4. Stop trying to prove that you are right.
Your job is to establish the facts, not win an argument with the process owner.

5. Learn to write well.
You can perform excellent fieldwork, but eventually someone who was not there will judge your work through your report.

6. Build relationships without losing your independence.
Being an auditor does not require you to become everybody's enemy. 😂

7. Do not rush to raise findings.
Understand the condition, criteria, cause, risk and the process owner's explanation first.

8. Learn how to use data and technology.
The auditor who can analyse thousands of transactions will see things that checking twenty documents manually may never reveal.

9. Accept correction without feeling embarrassed.
You will misunderstand processes. You will sometimes reach the wrong conclusion. Good auditors adjust when better evidence appears.

10. Your reputation is being built on every audit.
People will remember whether you were fair, prepared, respectful, objective and willing to stand by evidence.

Because becoming a better auditor is not only about learning how to audit.

It is also about learning how to think, communicate, listen, question and grow.

Which of these 10 lessons took you the longest to learn?

25/09/2026

📢 REQUIREMENT — EXISTING INDIAN COMPANY

Looking for an Indian company for acquisition / ownership transfer

✅ Minimum 1 completed financial year
✅ Preferably audited profit around ₹1 Crore
✅ Ownership to be legally transferred to the new owner
✅ Company documents required

📩 Genuine requirements only.
If you have a suitable company available for transfer, DM me with details.

14/09/2026

12/09/2026

FOCUS ON YOUR BUSINESS.
LEAVE THE COMPLIANCE & ACCOUNTING TO US.

Running a business is already demanding enough.

📊 Accounting & Bookkeeping
🧾 GST Compliance
💰 Income Tax & Tax Audit
📑 TDS Compliance
📋 Statutory & Internal Audit
📈 MIS & Business Reporting

You focus on growing your business.
We’ll focus on keeping your books, taxes & compliances on track.

SMJ & Associates
Professional. Practical. Reliable.

📩 DM us to discuss your business requirements.

11/09/2026

🔎 STATUTORY AUDIT IS NOT JUST “CHECKING THE ACCOUNTS.”

An audit involves asking important questions:

Is the revenue properly recorded?

Are receivables recoverable?

Does inventory actually exist?

Are liabilities completely recorded?

Are related-party transactions properly identified?

Are financial statement disclosures appropriate?

An auditor doesn’t simply look at what the numbers are.

They also consider whether the numbers are supported by sufficient appropriate audit evidence.

📩 Need professional audit support?

DM “AUDIT”.

SMJ & Associates
Chartered Accountants

11/09/2026

🚨 CAN ONE PERSON CREATE A VENDOR, APPROVE THE BILL AND MAKE THE PAYMENT?

If the answer is YES, you may have a control weakness.

This is an example of lack of segregation of duties.

Ideally:

👤 One person creates the vendor
➡️ Another verifies the invoice
➡️ Authorised person approves the payment
➡️ Bank reconciliation is independently reviewed

Why?

Because good internal controls reduce the risk of:

• Fraud
• Duplicate payments
• Errors
• Unauthorised transactions

Internal controls aren’t only for large companies.

They matter in growing businesses too.

📩 Want us to review your business controls?

DM “CONTROL”.

SMJ & Associates