Tax Department claims Sonu Sood evaded over Rs 20 crore in taxes
New Delhi : The Income Tax department has said that they have found a tax evasion of over Rs 20 crore by Sonu Sood. The officers have been going to Mr Sood's house for past three days. Interestingly, Sonu Sood had recently announced a tie-up with Arvind Kejriwal's government.
The tax department said Mr Sood's non-profit also raised Rs 2.1 crore from overseas donors using a crowdfunding platform in violation of the law - Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act - that governs such transactions.
"During the course of search at the premises of the actor and his associates, incriminating evidences pertaining to tax evasion have been found. The main modus operandi followed by the actor had been to route his unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities," the tax department said in the statement.
"Investigations so far have revealed use of 20 such entries, the providers of which, on examination, have accepted on oath to have given bogus accommodation entries. They have accepted to have issued cheques in lieu of cash. There have been instances where professional receipts have been camouflaged as loans in the books of accounts for the purpose of evasion of tax. It has also been revealed that these bogus loans have been used for making investments and acquiring properties. The total amount of tax evaded unearthed so far, amounts to more than Rs 20 crore," the tax department said.
If allegations are to be believed then Sonu Sood's non profit organization collected over Rs 18 crores till April and Rs 1.9 crore has been used in the relief work. The balance Rs 17 crore is lying unused in the account.
Sources have said "a recent deal between Sonu Sood's company and a Lucknow-based real estate firm is under the scanner", and the survey operation began on allegations of tax evasion on this deal.
"The simultaneous search operations carried out at various premises of an infrastructure group in Lucknow in which the actor has entered into a joint venture real estate project and invested substantial funds, have resulted in unearthing of incriminating evidences pertaining to tax evasion and irregularities in the books of account," the tax department said in the statement today.
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