Sales Tax Act 1990: IR officers authorized to arrest fraudsters

Sales Tax Act 1990: IR officers authorized to arrest fraudsters

KARACHI: The sales tax law has authorized officers of Inland Revenue to arrest persons committing fraud or any other offence.

The Section 37A of the updated Sales Tax Act, 1990 issued by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) explained the powers of IR officers for making arrests.

Section 37A: Power to arrest and prosecute

Sub-Section (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.

Sub- Section (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).

Sub-Section (3): deleted

Sub-Section (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.

Sub-Section (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 authorized 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.