KARACHI: Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi of High Court of Sindh, Monday, adjourned the hearing of a bail application filed by an accused in Sales Tax Fraud case till October 19.
Owais of Asian Textile, importer sough the bail after the same was rejected by Special Judge Customs and Taxation.
The bail plea was fixed for hearing today but was adjourned due to shortage of time. According to details Directorate of Intelligence and Investigation (I & I) of Sales Tax received credible information that some individuals are importing textile goods but are claiming the benefit of exemptions etc claiming to be manufacturers. These unscrupulous elements are importing hundreds of containers every month and getting the same released evading 3 per cent tax . The main accused used to register an individual and then misused the registration to obtain illegal benefits.
The I & I under took a desk inquiry it was found that Asian Textile is allegedly involved in the tax evasion case. The claim of accused of being a manufacturer was also physically verified and negative result was recorded after which a FIR was registered ST/ AD-A 2014-15/01 under section 2 (37), 3,6,7,8,22,23, 26 and 73 0f the Sales Tax Act 1990 read with SRO 1125/2011 punishable under section 33, 11,1’4,16, 37-A of Sales Tax Act 1990.
The FIR alleged that during Feb 2014- September 2014 accused declared local purchases of Rupees 269,730, 116 and imports of rupees 242,697,908 and claimed exemption thus causing a loss of rupees 4,853, 958. The prosecution also alleged that co-accused are free while he is languishing in jail.
The bench later put off further hearing till Oct 19.