KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has again issued notices to the chairman FBR, commissioner Inland Revenue Zone -I, Regional Tax Office-II and secretary Revenue Division, directing them to file their respective comments on a petition filed by M/s IPP against raid and harassment by officials of the tax authorities under the garb of alleged tax fraud case.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Munib Akhter and Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi, heard the petition.
During the hearing, deputy attorney general requested for some time to submit para wise comments on which the court adjourned the hearing until June 6, 2016.
Earlier, the counsel for the petitioner stated that petitioner is doing lawful business of chemicals and shoe adhesives and regularly filing its income tax and sales tax and had never been found to have carried out any practice of tax evasion or tax fraud.
According to the petitioner, Directorate of Intelligence & Investigation FBR had carried out an investigation against one M/s SMD & Sons in the year 2012, during the investigation, the respondent had issued notice to the M/s W.S Enterprises on February 27, 2012 seeking its record pertaining to supplies made to M/s SMD & Sons.
The petitioner added that it did not carry out any transaction or sale with both companies. The counsel argued that, respondents issued a notice to the petitioner and it filed a reply but officials of the respondents conducted raid at the premises of the petitioner on April 18th, 2016 and harassed the staff of the petitioner.
The petitioner stated that it has nothing to do with both the companies but respondents are threatening it under the garb of alleged tax evasion case.
The petitioner pleaded the SHC to restrain the respondents from taking any coercive measures against it. The court was further requested to direct the respondents not to harass to the petitioner and its staff in said tax evasion case.