MIRA seeks charges over MY Chemist owner for tax evasion
The law grants MIRA power to search places where the documents related to the business are kept, to obtain evidence required for investigations.
By
Fathmath Ahmed Shareef
Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General's Office (PG) seeking prosecution of Hussain Irfan, the owner of MY Chemist, who imports and sells medicines widely in the Maldives.
The MIRA has investigated the case for allegedly including false information in the BPT returns filed on its behalf in 2018 and 2019 and in the income tax return filed in 2020. The company is believed to have done so with intention to evade payment of taxes.
According to a statement issued by MIRA, Irfan is a large wholesale and retailer of medicines in the country. During investigation, it was found that the income of his wholesale business, MY Chemist Godown, was not included in the tax returns filed between 2019 and 2020, MIRA said.
-
He has not been reporting an average annual income of MVR 53 million to MIRA
-
The audits found that a total of more than MVR 12 million was owed and Irfan has been ordered to pay the money
Under the Taxation Act, it is an offence to do anything with the intent to avoid paying taxes due. It is also an offence to aid and abet a taxpayer to evade paying taxes.
MIRA is conducting criminal investigations to identify those who are committing tax-related offences and take appropriate action. The Taxation Act also gives the MIRA the power to search places where the documents related to the business are kept, to obtain evidence required for the investigation.
