News Desk :
The National Board of Revenue has instructed banks to freeze all accounts of former Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Shitangshu Kumar Sur Chowdhury and his wife Suparna Sur Chowdhury while it investigates allegations of tax evasion.
Director General of NBR’s Central Intelligence Cell or CIC, Md Alamgir Hossain said in a letter on Wednesday that all banks of the country have been directed to freeze withdrawal or transfer of money from their accounts until further notice, reports bdnews24.com
In February, the NBR asked for details of bank accounts and transactions beginning from July 2013 of SK Sur and Md Shah Alam, an incumbent executive director of the central bank, after their names emerged in the Proshanta Kumar Halder scam.
“We’re not investigating their corruption allegations. That’s not our responsibility, it falls on the Anti-Corruption Commission,” the CIC director general told bdnews24.com.
“We are looking into whether there are any tax payment irregularities against them. We have ordered a freeze on the accounts as part of the investigation.”
“There are allegations of irregularities against [SK Sur] and we are simply investigating.”
Alamgir went on: “Our primary complaint is tax evasion. We will take steps against him if we find proof of tax evasion in the investigation. And if no irregularities are found, or if he pays up evaded taxes, then we might withdraw the directive.”
Alamgir mentioned that a case might be started against him.
In February, the central bank constituted a committee led by Deputy Governor AKM Sajedur Rahman Khan after SK Sur’s name appeared in court observation for his alleged involvement in the Peoples Leasing and Financial Services Ltd or PLFSL scam.
The Anti-Corruption Commission arrested Uzzal Kumar Nandi, chairman of PLFSL, and Rashedul Haque, former managing director of the International Leasing and Financial Services Limited or ILFSL, on charges of abetting the crimes allegedly committed by PK Halder, a fugitive from law.
Nandi and Haque named SK Sur and Shah Alam in their statements to the court.
