Sonu Sood, Associates Evaded Tax Of Over Rs 20 Crore: Income Tax Department

The Income Tax Department issued a press release on Saturday, stating that Bollywood actor Sonu Sood was involved in a tax evasion of over Rs 20 crore.

Sonu Sood Evaded Tax Of Over Rs 20 Crore: Income Tax Department

Mumbai: The Income Tax Department, which 'surveyed' several premises linked to Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, said on Saturday that he was involved in a tax evasion of over Rs 20 crore. The I-T department issued a statement after conducting a search and seizure operation and different premises of the ‘Simmba’ actor in Mumbai.  

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said that the total amount of tax evaded amounted to over Rs 20 crore, according to ANI. In its statement, the tax department stated that the Charity Foundation incorporated by the actor raised Rs 2.1 crore from foreign donors using crowd funding platform, which violated the FCRA regulations. 

The I-T department said that it found 'incriminating evidences' pertaining to tax evasion while conducting a search at the premises of Sood and his associates. It added that the actor took 'unsecured loans' from 'bogus entities' to route his unaccounted income. 

"During the course of search at the premises of the actor and his associates, incriminating evidences pertaining to tax evasion have been found. The main modus operandi followed by the actor had been to route his unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities. Investigations so far have revealed use of twenty such entries, the providers of which, on examination, have accepted on oath to have given bogus accommodation entries. They have accepted to have issued cheques in lieu of cash. There have been instances where professional receipts have been camouflaged as loans in the books of accounts for the purpose of evasion of tax. It has also been revealed that these bogus loans have been used for making investments and acquiring properties. The total amount of tax evaded unearthed so far, amounts to more than Rs. 20 crore," the press release read. 

Sonu Sood's non-profit foundation, who was instituted in 2020, collected donations of more than Rs 18 crore till April 1, 2021. Out of Rs 18.94 crore, around Rs 1.9 crore was used towards relief work while Rs 17 crore was found lying unutilized in the bank account, as per the statement. 

"The simultaneous search operations carried out at various premises of an Infrastructure group in Lucknow in which the said actor has entered into a joint venture real estate project and invested substantial funds, have resulted in unearthing of incriminating evidences pertaining to tax evasion and irregularities in the books of account," the statement added.

Sonu Sood, who emerged as a messiah for the migrant workers during 2020's Coronavirus-induced lockdown, recently remained in headlines after rumours about his political debut surfaced on the internet. He refuted the rumours by sharing a tweet on his official Twitter handle.

Sood has been lauded for his humanitarian work amid the COVID-19 crisis in India. From providing medical aid to arranging oxygen cylinders, the actor actively worked to help the people during the peak of the second wave of the pandemic in the country.

On the professional front, the 'R Rajkumar' star will be next seen in YRF's 'Prithviraj'. The period drama co-starring Akshay Kumar is slated to hit the silver screens on November 5. It will mark the Bollywood debut of former Miss World Manushi Chillar.