KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed a petitioner, Moiz Akbar Ali Kakal, to submit a reply to an impugned show cause notice before the authorities concerned before the next date of hearing and file a copy of such a reply before the court. The court issued the directions on a constitution petition filed by Kakal against demand notice of Rs 64.165 million issued against him on the allegations of tax evasion.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Munib Akhter and Justice Abdul Malik Gaddi, heard the petition.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel stated that petitioner is engaged in the business of timber and paying all leviable taxes regularly. However, the tax authorities issued a notice stating that during the physical verification on April 26, 2016, it was found that the petitioner was involved in tax evasion, therefore, he was asked to pay Rs 64.165 million for the tax period ending March 2016.
According to the petitioner, officials concerned did physical verification of only two premises on which the remaining inventory stock of the petitioner is available as mentioned. The counsel argued that the petitioner had explained all situation but respondents raided the premises of the petitioner without issuing notice and took the computer and other things away with them which is illegal, malafide and unjustified.
Citing secretary Ministry of Law, chairman FBR, commissioner Inland Revenue Investigation and Prosecution Cell and others as the respondents, the petitioner pleaded the SHC to set aside impugned demand notice and restrain the respondents from taking any action against it. The court was further requested to direct the petitioner to release computer and other equipments.