ISLAMABAD: Income tax law has prohibited tax officials from arresting any woman or a minor for recovery of tax default amount, officials at Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said.
They said that Commissioner Inland Revenue, having authority to recover tax amount by using various options defined under the law, has been prohibited to order the arrest of a woman or any person who, in his opinion, is a minor or of unsound mind.
The officials said that Income Tax Rules, 2002 has explained in detailed about the powers of Commissioner of Inland Revenue related to recovery of outstanding tax money.
The commissioner has an authority to ask officer incharge of the civil person for detention of the defaulter in civil prison under Rule 186(1) of the Income Tax Rules, 2002.
Rule 187 explains detention in and release from prison.-
(1) Every person detained in the civil prison in execution of a notice may be so detained-
(a) where the notice is for a demand of an amount exceeding twenty five thousands, for a period of six months, and
(b) in any other case for a period of six weeks:
Provided that he shall be released from such detention-
(i) on the amount mentioned in the warrant for his detention being paid to the Officer-in-charge of the civil prison, or
(ii) on the request of the Commissioner who has issued the notice or of the Commissioner on any ground other than the grounds mentioned in rules 193(1) and 196:
Provided further that where he is to be released on the request of the Commissioner, he shall not be released without the order of the Commissioner.
(2) A defaulter released from detention under this rule shall not, merely by reason of his release, be discharged from his liability for the arrears; but he shall liable to be re-arrested under the notice in execution of which he was detained in the civil prison.
Rule 188. Release.-
(1) The Commissioner may order the release of a defaulter who has been arrested in execution of a notice upon being satisfied that he has disclosed the whole of his property and has placed it at the disposal of Commissioner and that he has not committed any act in bad faith.
(2) If the Commissioner has ground for believing the disclosure made by the defaulter under sub-rule (1) to have been untrue, he may order the re-arrest of the defaulter in execution of the notice but the period of his detention in the prison shall not in the aggregate exceed that authorized by rule 187.
Rule 189. Release on ground of illness.-
(1) At any time after a warrant for the arrest of a defaulter has been issued, the Commissioner may cancel it on ground of the serious illness of the defaulter.
(2) Where a defaulter has been arrested, the Commissioner may release him if, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Tax, he is not in a fit state of mind to be detained in the civil prison.
(3) Where a defaulter has been committed to the civil prison, he may be, released therefrom by the Commissioner on the ground of the existence of any infectious or contagious disease or on the ground of his suffering from any illness.
(4) A defaulter released under this rule may be re-arrested, but the period of his detention in the civil prison shall not in the aggregate exceed that authorized by rule 164.
