GST woes: Nearly 250 Star Export Houses denied refunds

Amid the country’s dismal exports performance — merchandise exports shrank 0.34% year-on-year in November, the fifth contraction in the past eight months — as many as 245 Star Export Houses and over 5,000 other exporters remain deprived of their goods and services tax (GST) refunds due to alleged overreach by the taxman. A new system designed to identify ‘risky exporters’ — those who are suspected…