Dhaka:A court in Dhaka has ordered the seizure of income tax records belonging to former Barguna-1 lawmaker Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu and the Suchana Foundation. The order was made by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir following applications by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ACC filed a case against Shambhu, alleging offences under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947. The ACC asserted that examining Shambhu's income tax records is crucial for verifying his income and expenditure and for identifying any undisclosed assets.
The application related to the Suchana Foundation accused the organization of tax evasion amounting to Taka 99.04 lakh over several tax years, from 2015-16 to 2024-25. The foundation is alleged to have fabricated tax payment records through fraudulent means, thereby misappropriating the funds. The ACC also highlighted suspicious transactions, with Taka 531.77 crore deposited and Taka 465.30 crore withdrawn from 14 bank accounts under the foundation's name.
The ACC emphasized the necessity of seizing all relevant documents and information from the foundation's tax files, covering the period from its inception to the 2024-25 tax year, to facilitate a thorough investigation.