KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has continued the interim order against impugned notice of a raid conducted by the tax authorities at the business place of Riaz Ahmed Razzak. The sought the details of equipment and documents which were taken into custody by the tax authorities during the raid.
During the hearing of the petition, a two-member bench, comprising Justice Nadeem Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal, also repeated notices to the tax authorities to file their comments on June 23, 2016. In the last hearing, the court had suspended the impugned notice over conducting a raid at business place of the petitioner.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel stated that petitioner was engaged in the business of construction and paying all liabilities regularly. However, director general Intelligence & Investigation Inland Revenue and director Intelligence and Investigation (FBR) issued a notice on May 30, 2016 informing the placement of seven officers at business place of the petitioner. On the same day, seven persons who claimed that they were officers of the tax authorities, raided the premises of the petitioner and took away all the equipment and documents without giving him a receipt.
According to the petitioner, the officials concerned had demanded bribe from him when he asked them to give him a receipt. The counsel argued that raid was completely unlawful and was conducted with mala fide intention.
Citing secretary Revenue Division, DG Intelligence & Investigation – IR FBR, director Intelligence & Investigation – IR FBR and Cheif Commissioner Inland Revenue as respondents, the petitioner pleaded the SHC to set aside impugned notice and restrain the respondents from taking any coercive action against it.
