ISLAMABAD, Aug 22 (DNA): President Dr Arif Alvi has disposed off 42
representations of the Federal Board of Revenue in cases of bogus sales
tax invoices, worth over 1.2 billion rupees.
FBR had filed the representations with President, assailing the orders
of Federal Tax Ombudsman passed in suo moto cases, in which bogus Sales
Tax Refunds were reimbursed fully or partially by the delinquent
officials of FBR to the fake claimants.
The huge scam was unearthed by FBR’s Directorate General Intelligence &
Investigation-Inland Revenue and the Red Alerts were issued to the
concerned field formations. However, no action was initiated against the
FBR officials and the fake claimants.
The FTO on taking suo moto notice of the matter had issued directions to
the FBR to investigate and identify the officials involved in
verification of the registered persons (RPs) and initiate a disciplinary
action.
In pursuance of the FTO’s recommendations and also the previous orders
of the President of Pakistan passed in similar cases, the FBR
constituted six fact-finding inquiry committees to deal with 130 suo
moto cases relating fake refund claims.
The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committees were meant to identify
the wrong-doings and involvement of officials in each case, and fix
responsibility. Also, these committees were tasked to prepare a draft
charge sheet and statement of allegations with respect to each official
and submit a report to the Board within 30 days.
President Alvi, in view of the findings of the committees, disposed of
the representations of the FBR pertaining to the cases in which full or
partial refunds were paid fraudulently.
He directed the FBR for submission of a monthly implementation report to
the Federal Tax Ombudsman’s Secretariat till the completion of the
action on each case.
He also ordered to afford an opportunity of show-cause and hearing to
the official in case of any departmental action proposed against him, to
satisfy the requirement of due process and the principles of natural
justice. DNA
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: President Dr Arif Alvi has disposed off 42representations of the Federal Board of Revenue in cases of bogus){kind=link}