Islamabad: The Customs Court has ordered the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to appoint a bold officer for the investigation of tax fraud.
The Special Judge Customs, Taxation and anti-smuggling Karachi in its order ordered the FBR Chief Commissioner, Inland Revenue to himself look into the matter and entrust the investigation to those bold, honest as well as efficient persons who would not try to hide responsible officers of the department in the tax fraud for a logical and legal conclusion of the cases.
The special Judge Sadaf Asif in her order mentioned that the Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation (1R) Karachi has lodged many FIRs regarding tax fraud and in these FIRS this Court received an Interim Charge-sheet.
On receiving the Interim Charge-sheets, this Court asked the investigation Officers to explain that if the alleged offence is pertaining to the year 2012 why there is an inordinate delay and Inaction on the part of the department
In addition, why is there no nomination of the responsible officer of the department involved in these cases of tax fraud? There is no explanation available for not nominating a sanctioning Officer of the department.
In these cases, the department has also challenged the federal ombudsman order before the President of Pakistan which has also been dismissed on 27.02.2020.
There were specific directions in the Federal Ombudsman’s Order for the nomination of the responsible Officer in these cases and also directed the Chief Commissioner-IR, RT0-11, Karachi to identify the officials/officers who failed to thoroughly securitize the claims of RP, and to recover the inadmissible input tax claimed/adjusted and take disciplinary action against them;
The ombudsman was also directed to initiate appropriate action including criminal proceedings leading to the prosecution of RP and recovery of amount swindled from public exchequer through claiming fraudulent refund input tax within 45 days.
Now submission of the Charge-Sheets by not nominating the responsible Officer of the department amounts to throwing dust in the eyes of the Court.
Let this Order be sent to the Chief Commissioner, Inland Revenue, to himself look into the matter and entrust the investigation to those bold, honest & efficient persons who would not try to hide responsible officers of the department in the Tax fraud for logical & legal conclusion of the cases.
