Thousands of shell companies operating across India have been shown the door as the government tightens its grip on tax evasion. Maharashtra alone has seen more than 13,000 bogus firms struck off the records in what is being described as one of the biggest clean-up drives by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) to date.

The ministry, which has been running a sustained campaign against fraudulent business registrations, has now reached its fourth phase of action, deactivating a staggering 96,779 fake companies across the country. Maharashtra ranks second on this list, following Delhi, which tops with 13,378 companies being shut down. Other states hit hard by the crackdown include Uttar Pradesh (11,397 companies), Karnataka (8,008), and West Bengal (6,979).

The central government has be

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