Top IT executives land in Adiala
The two arrested high-profile executives of an international IT giant would be spending the next 3 to 4 days in Central Adiala Jail Rawalpindi after they were given in judicial remand. The two are accused in a case of tax evasion detected by Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation Inland Revenue (IR) Islamabad.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday that it was the first of its kind case that showed the landing of two senior employees of a top global IT firm in Central Jail Rawalpindi following their alleged involvement in tax evasion. The directorate of intelligence IR presented the senior employees of the international IT Company before the judicial magistrate for their remand. Due to holidays on Saturday and Sunday, both the high-level employees were sent to the Central Jail Rawalpindi. The concerned Customs judge will be on leave on Monday and Tuesday. It is expected that the directorate of intelligence IR would get the physical remand of the two accused on Wednesday for proper interrogation.
When contacted, officials of the agency said that tax evasion had been considered as a major crime/offence in developed countries. According to them, advanced countries with which such business deals were cut, consider tax evasion as a very serious crime. Tax evasion in countries like the US, the UK and other developed countries is a serious crime and definitely same applies to Pakistan. “Our country is no exception; if the local management of an international IT company is involved in tax evasion, the investigators will follow the due process of law,” they added.
During the last three years, they said, the agency had framed and prosecuted hundreds of cases against tax evaders. However, this was the first case in which local management of a foreign multinational company had been found involved in tax evasion. According to officials, the case has been identified by the agency and arrests were made after completion of all legal formalities required under the law. The case has been framed after collecting solid evidence which is presentable in any court of law. During the whole exercise, legal process has been duly followed. DG I&I Islamabad and Karachi have conducted a joint operation and both the regional directorates co-ordinated in this regard.
The company has been engaged in the trade of computer equipment with Pakistani suppliers. During the criminal process, the company was bound to provide all the relevant evidence pertaining to the case. But instead of co-operating with the agency, they allegedly concealed the information, which hindered the prosecution. Moreover, the independent evidence collected by the agency reportedly proved that they were allegedly involved in tax evasion in criminal connivance with the supplier.
The directorate of intelligence IR has framed two charges against the company officials. Firstly, they failed to provide the necessary evidence of their supplies to the agency. Secondly, they in criminal connivance with the buyer company were allegedly evading taxes. They have adversely impacted the criminal prosecution due to non-compliance and non-co-operation with the directorate.
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