Lobi jailed for 8 yrs for evading tax
Friday, 6 July 2007
Former BNP lawmaker Ali Asghar Lobi was Thursday sentenced to eight years in jail by a special court for dodging tax and suppressing information about tax, as trial of high-profile corruption suspects continued under the current purge, report agencies.
Judge Shahed Nooruddin of the anti-graft court, after examining 18 prosecution witnesses and records, found Lobi guilty of not paying a huge amount of taxes on his wealth and handed down the verdict.
The court also fined Lobi Tk 2.50 million (25 lakh) and ordered confiscation of money suppressed in his tax return document. The sentencing will be effective from his detention date.
Lobi has to serve another one and a half years in jail unless he pays the fine, according to the verdict. Lobi was brought to court from Kashimpur jail in the morning for sentencing.
"The prosecution has proved the case beyond doubt", observed the judge. This is for the first time that the special anti-graft court jailed a tax evader.
Lobi standing in the dock turned pale after hearing the verdict.
On May 23, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) filed the case against Lobi, also former president of Bangladesh Cricket Board, for evasion of tax amounting to Tk 42.50 million (4.25 crore) in fiscal 2006-07.
According to the case statement, Lobi repeatedly gave false information about his actual income and expenditure to the Income Tax Department and did not submit his income-tax return.
He also used his position to conceal information about his real income.
On February 6, joint forces arrested Lobi from his Gulshan house and seized Tk 97.50 million (9.75 crore) stashed in his home coffers.
Later, the Central Intelligence Cell of NBR collected information about his different bank accounts, where they found Tk 222.50 million (22.25 crore).
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal appeared for the state while Sardar Jinat Ali and M Shah Alam stood for Lobi.
Meanwhile, Lobi faces another case. On March 21, Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission Shirin Parveen lodged the case against him and his wife Khushnud Asghar with Gulshan Police Station accusing them of suppressing information regarding assets worth Tk 26.90 million (2.69 crore) and acquiring wealth valued at 249.70 million (24.97 crore) beyond their known income sources.
The Special Judge's Court-3 set up in the Jatiya Sangsad premises will hear the charge framing in the case Sunday.
Judge Shahed Nooruddin of the anti-graft court, after examining 18 prosecution witnesses and records, found Lobi guilty of not paying a huge amount of taxes on his wealth and handed down the verdict.
The court also fined Lobi Tk 2.50 million (25 lakh) and ordered confiscation of money suppressed in his tax return document. The sentencing will be effective from his detention date.
Lobi has to serve another one and a half years in jail unless he pays the fine, according to the verdict. Lobi was brought to court from Kashimpur jail in the morning for sentencing.
"The prosecution has proved the case beyond doubt", observed the judge. This is for the first time that the special anti-graft court jailed a tax evader.
Lobi standing in the dock turned pale after hearing the verdict.
On May 23, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) filed the case against Lobi, also former president of Bangladesh Cricket Board, for evasion of tax amounting to Tk 42.50 million (4.25 crore) in fiscal 2006-07.
According to the case statement, Lobi repeatedly gave false information about his actual income and expenditure to the Income Tax Department and did not submit his income-tax return.
He also used his position to conceal information about his real income.
On February 6, joint forces arrested Lobi from his Gulshan house and seized Tk 97.50 million (9.75 crore) stashed in his home coffers.
Later, the Central Intelligence Cell of NBR collected information about his different bank accounts, where they found Tk 222.50 million (22.25 crore).
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal appeared for the state while Sardar Jinat Ali and M Shah Alam stood for Lobi.
Meanwhile, Lobi faces another case. On March 21, Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission Shirin Parveen lodged the case against him and his wife Khushnud Asghar with Gulshan Police Station accusing them of suppressing information regarding assets worth Tk 26.90 million (2.69 crore) and acquiring wealth valued at 249.70 million (24.97 crore) beyond their known income sources.
The Special Judge's Court-3 set up in the Jatiya Sangsad premises will hear the charge framing in the case Sunday.