Case against Mir Shakil filed
KARACHI: The Income Tax/Wealth Tax authorities filed a formal prosecution case on Thursday against Mir Shakilur Rehman, proprietor of the Jang/News Group in the Court of Special Judge (Customs, Excise and Income Tax) Karachi, on charges of deliberate act of evading lawful revenue due to the State.
The complainant i.e. Income Tax authorities submitted before the court that Mir Shakilur Rehman s/o Mir Khalilur Rehman filed his return for wealth for assessment year 1992-93 declaring the wealth at Rs. 3,97,43,109/-. The father of assessee/accused expired on January 25, 1992, leaving wealth of Rs 2,79,35,202/- as per wealth statement filed by one of his legal heir for the period January 25, 1992.
The complainant submitted, that under the law of inheritance, the share in property/estate of deceased has been vested with the accused assessee and in accordance with the provision of Wealth Tax Act 1963, he was obliged to declare share of wealth in his wealth tax return for the assessment year 1992-93.
However, the assessee failed to declare his share of wealth inherited from the assets of his deceased father in the wealth declared in the above return of wealth. This act of the assessee/accused was deliberate with the intention of evading the lawful revenue due to the State, the complainant said.
The assessee/accused was served with a show cause notice requiring him to explain why prosecution proceedings u/s 36(1)(d)(ii) and 36 (2) of the Wealth Tax Act 1963 should not be initiated against him for: (a) Concealment of wealth liable to be assessed under the provision of Wealth Tax Act, 1963.
(b) Making false declaration in the return of wealth filed in pursuance of the provision of section 14 of the Wealth Tax Act 1963.
(c) The assessee/accused furnished the reply to this show cause notice. The reply was not found satisfactory as no valid reason for non-declaration of the above aforesaid wealth has been shown. The assessee was obliged under the law to declare his inherited share vested in the assets of his deceased father (died in January 1992) which he failed to declare in his wealth tax return for assessment year 1992-93 on the valuation date i.e. 30.6.92.
He also did not pay wealth tax due on his inherited share in assets of his father u/s 14-A. He is liable to punishment. The complainant further submitted, since the assessee/accused has deliberately failed to declare correct particulars of his wealth and pay tax thereon as per law under section 14-A, he is liable to punishment.
The complainant prayed that the honourable court may take cognizance of the facts and prosecute the assessee/accused for concealment of wealth and false verification in the return of wealth filed on his part and punish him in accordance with the law.