Mumbai: Actor Sonu Sood and his associates have committed tax evasion of over Rs 20 crore, the Income Tax Department said in a statement on Saturday after three days of searches at the actor’s Mumbai home.
Sood, 48, recently announced a partnership with Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi.
According to the tax department, Sood’s non-profit organization raised Rs 2.1 crore using a crowdfunding platform from foreign donors in violation of the Foreign Donations (Regulation) Act, which oversees such transactions.
It said that a charity foundation set up by the actor in July last year has collected Rs 18.94 crore in donations since April 2021, of which Rs 1.9 crore has been spent for relief works, while the rest Rs 17 crore is lying unutilized in the foundation. . bank account.
According to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), incriminating material related to tax evasion was found during searches at the residential premises of the actor and his associates.
A total of 28 premises spread across Mumbai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jaipur, Delhi and Gurgaon have been included in the search operation.
Sonu Sood could not be immediately reached for his comments.
‘objectionable evidence relating to tax evasion’
In its statement, the IT department said: “During the search of the premises of the actor and his associates, evidence relating to tax evasion has been found. The main methodology followed by the actor was to route his unaccounted income from several fake entities. in the form of bogus unsecured loans. The investigation so far has revealed the use of twenty such entries whose providers, on scrutiny, have sworn to give fake housing entries. They have accepted to issue checks in lieu of cash.”
It said: “There are instances where professional receipts have been hidden as loans in the books of accounts for the purpose of tax evasion. It is also learned that these fraudulent loans have been used to make investments and acquire assets. The total amount of tax realized so far is more than Rs.20 crore.”
The department, which is still conducting search operations and investigations, said Sood had invested substantial funds in an infrastructure group in Lucknow for a joint venture real estate project, and found irregularities in the group’s account books. .
“Simultaneous search operation was conducted at various premises of an infrastructure group in Lucknow in which the said actor has entered into a joint venture real estate project and invested substantial funds, resulting in unearthed evidence relating to tax evasion and irregularities The books of account,” the IT department said.
Cash worth Rs 1.8 crore has been seized during the searches and 11 lockers have been kept under prohibitory orders.
“Search has revealed that the said group is involved in fraudulent billing of sub-contractor expenses and misappropriation of funds. Evidence of such bogus contracts found so far is more than Rs 65 crore. Unaccounted cash expenditure, unaccounted sale evidence, scrap and The digital data has also yielded evidence of unaccounted cash transactions. Further, it is learned that the said infrastructure group/company has entered into suspicious circular transactions worth Rs 175 crore with an infrastructure company based in Jaipur, the department further said in the statement. Said, investigation is being done to establish the full extent of tax evasion.
Kejriwal defends Sood
The actor came into limelight when he helped thousands of migrants reach their homes after the government imposed a lockdown in March 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sood was recently named an ambassador for AAP’s student counseling programme. AAP has condemned the action against the actor, claiming that the government is throwing him out as he is a “messiah” for the poor.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal tweeted in support of Sood, saying that the Bollywood actor has the prayers of lakhs of families he has helped in these difficult times.
According to the IT department, the charity foundation formed by the actor on July 21, 2020, has collected donations of Rs 18.94 crore since 01.04. An amount of Rs 17 crore has been found lying unutilized in the account so far.
.