Commissioner having power to arrest and prosecute

Commissioner having power to arrest and prosecute

Section 37A of Sales Tax Act, 1990 has explained commissioner having power to arrest and prosecute.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued the Sales Tax Act, 1990 updated up to June 30, 2021. The Act incorporated amendments brought through Finance Act, 2021.

Following is the text of section 37A of the Sales Tax Act, 1990:

37A. Power to arrest and prosecute.– (1) An officer of Inland Revenue not below the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Inland Revenue or any other officer of equal rank authorised by the Board in this behalf, who on the basis of material evidence has reason to believe that any person has committed a tax fraud or any offence warranting prosecution under this Act may cause arrest of such person.

(2) All arrests made under this Act shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898).

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) to subsection (3) or any other provision of this Act, where any person has committed a tax fraud or any offence warranting prosecution under this Act, the Commissioner may, either before or after the institution of any proceedings for recovery of tax, compound the offence if such person pays the amount of tax due along with such default surcharge and penalty as is determined under the provisions of this Act.

(5) Where the person suspected of tax fraud or any offence warranting prosecution under this Act is a company, every director or officer of that company whom the authorised officer has reason to believe is personally responsible for actions of the company contributing the tax fraud or any offence warranting prosecution under this Act shall be liable to arrest; provided that any arrest under this sub-section shall not absolve the company from the liabilities of payment of tax, default surcharge and penalty imposed under this Act.

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