Ex-NBR member gets 8 yrs in jail for tax evasion
Friday, 21 September 2007
A special court in Dhaka Thursday sentenced former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member ATM Sarwar Hossain to eight years in jail in his absence for evading taxes and tampering with income tax (IT) returns, reports bdnews24.com.
The court simultaneously slapped on Sarwar a fine of Tk 12 million (1.2 crore). The convict will have to serve another six months in default to pay the fine.
The court also ordered the government to confiscate the convict's Tk 43.2 million (4.32 crore) and deposit the amount to the state coffers.
Judge Amar Kumar Roy of Special Judge's Court-2 handed down the verdict at 11am.
As Sarwar is on the run, no lawyer represented him in the court.
Sarwar was awarded five years in prison for concealing his assets, a Tk 12 million (1.2 crore) fine and another six months in jail for non-payment of the fine under the 1984 Income Tax Ordinance.
Simultaneously, under another section of the Ordinance, he was sentenced three-year imprisonment for tampering with his IT returns.
He will, however, have to serve a maximum of five years in jail as the two sentences run parallel, from the day he is arrested or surrenders.
NBR deputy commissioner Rabiul Hassan filed the case against Sarwar on August 15 with Dhaka Special Judge Md Azizul Haque's Court. The case was later transferred to a special judge's court for trial.
The case statement said the accused dodged paying taxes payable for acquiring hidden assets worth Tk 43.2 million (4.32 crore), which the court ordered to confiscate to deposit in the public treasury.
Charges were framed in the case on September 13. Witnesses completed depositions on September 17. Five prosecution witnesses deposed in the case.
The judge set the verdict date after hearing the prosecution arguments on September 18. Advocate Shamim Ahsan Habib conducted the case as the government counsel.
The court simultaneously slapped on Sarwar a fine of Tk 12 million (1.2 crore). The convict will have to serve another six months in default to pay the fine.
The court also ordered the government to confiscate the convict's Tk 43.2 million (4.32 crore) and deposit the amount to the state coffers.
Judge Amar Kumar Roy of Special Judge's Court-2 handed down the verdict at 11am.
As Sarwar is on the run, no lawyer represented him in the court.
Sarwar was awarded five years in prison for concealing his assets, a Tk 12 million (1.2 crore) fine and another six months in jail for non-payment of the fine under the 1984 Income Tax Ordinance.
Simultaneously, under another section of the Ordinance, he was sentenced three-year imprisonment for tampering with his IT returns.
He will, however, have to serve a maximum of five years in jail as the two sentences run parallel, from the day he is arrested or surrenders.
NBR deputy commissioner Rabiul Hassan filed the case against Sarwar on August 15 with Dhaka Special Judge Md Azizul Haque's Court. The case was later transferred to a special judge's court for trial.
The case statement said the accused dodged paying taxes payable for acquiring hidden assets worth Tk 43.2 million (4.32 crore), which the court ordered to confiscate to deposit in the public treasury.
Charges were framed in the case on September 13. Witnesses completed depositions on September 17. Five prosecution witnesses deposed in the case.
The judge set the verdict date after hearing the prosecution arguments on September 18. Advocate Shamim Ahsan Habib conducted the case as the government counsel.