Sonu Sood Releases Statement On Allegations Of 20 Crores In Tax Evasion: “Every Penny In My Organisation Is Waiting To Be Used To Help Those In Need”
Actor Sonu Sood made his statement today on last week’s tax searches at his Mumbai home and offices and allegations of tax cheating, saying that “every rupee” in his foundation was “waiting its time to save a life.” He also slammed the Income Tax Bureau, saying he had been “busy catering to guests” for four days.
“You are not always required to explain your side of the story. “With the goodwill of every Indian, even the most difficult journey may look easy,” the actor stated in a message he tweeted along with a couplet in Hindu, generally interpreted as “even the most difficult way can seem easy.”
The 48-year-old actor, whose altruistic activities during the Covid crisis received widespread acclaim, was raided for four days in a row by the Income Tax authorities, which claims he dodged taxes totalling more than 20 crores.
“Each rupee in my charity is awaiting its turn to save a precious life and reach the needy,” the actor added. “In addition, on numerous instances, I have urged corporations to contribute my advertising money for humanitarian causes as well, which keeps us continuing.”
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) charged the actor and his accomplices with evading Rs 20 crore in tax after the Tax Authority searched him and a Lucknow-based infrastructure business on Saturday. It further accused Sood of breaking the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by soliciting donations from outside the country.
“You don’t have to just tell your side of the story. Time will tell. I have vowed to devote my entire might and heart to serving the people of India. Every rupee in my foundation is waiting for its turn to save a life and help those in need. Furthermore, on numerous instances, I have persuaded firms to give my endorsement earnings to humanitarian initiatives, which helps to keep us running. I’ve been attending to a few guests, so I’ve been unable to be at your service for the last four days. I’m back, and this time I’m humble. For the sake of living, I am at your humble service. Sonu Sood had stated, “My journey continues.”
On Saturday, the CBDT discovered that the 48-year-old actor had funnelled his “unexplained revenue in the future of fake unsecured loans from various phoney businesses.”
As per a TOI report, Rs 1.8 crore in cash has been recovered, and 11 lockers have been placed under prohibition. According to the newspaper, citing I-T officials, “the actor’s principal mode of operation had been to route his unaccounted revenue in the form of phoney unsecured loans from bogus organisations.” Probes have revealed the usage of 20 such entries, the providers of which have admitted under oath to providing false lodging entries. They’ve agreed to accept payments as a place of cash.”
Later, the tax authority issued a statement stating that Sonu Sood’s non-profit Sood Charity Foundation, which was established in July last year, had received donations totalling over 18 crores as of April this year, with 1.9 crores expended on relief work and the remaining 17 crores lying unused. It also claimed that the organisation obtained Rs 2.1 crore from international donations in breach of the law by utilising a crowdfunding site.
“The actor’s principal way of operating has been to channel his undeclared revenue through phoney unsecured loans from various fictitious organisations,” the tax authority said in a report.
These fake loans, it claimed, were used for “financial assets and property acquisition.”
The entire amount of tax evasion discovered thus far amounts to more than Rs 20 crore, according to the statement and official sources.
It also mentioned his charitable organisation, which was founded during the COVID-19 epidemic last year.
During the countrywide lockdown imposed last year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the actor rose to national attention by arranging free transportation through rail, air, and road for a large number of migrant workers to return to their home states.
The Delhi administration, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, recently announced that Sood will be the endorser for the Aam Aadmi Party government’s ‘Desh ka mentors’ initiative, through which students will be mentored in their career decisions.
The Shiv Sena criticised the BJP on Friday over the Income Tax Department’s activity against actor Sonu Sood, asserting that while the party had previously praised him for his work during the lockdown, it now considers him a “tax evader” after the Delhi and Punjab government entities attempted to collaborate with him on his social work.
The Sena claimed in an editorial in the party newspaper ‘Saamana’ that the actions against Mr Sood were a foul play that would backfire on the BJP, and that the person who claims to have the most people in the world should also have a huge heart.
According to government sources, I-T authorities descended on Mr Sood’s properties in Mumbai and other locations on Wednesday concerning relation to a tax fraud investigation.
“Filing false complaints against MVA ministers, forcing the governor to deny 12 members’ candidacy to the state State Assembly, and raiding actors like Sonu Sood were all evidence of a pretty narrow mindset. This is treason, and it will come back to haunt you one day “According to Sena.
Throughout the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Sood rose to prominence as the messiahs of poor immigrant workers, assisting them in returning to their home states during the national lockdown and providing shelter and food to them, according to the report.
“The BJP then congratulated him and questioned why the MVA administration couldn’t achieve what Sood had done. He was portrayed as the BJP’s own. However, when Sood became the endorser for the Delhi government’s academic program under Arvind Kejriwal, the I-T searched him “the suspected party.
The governing party in Maharashtra further stated that BJP leaders had previously stayed present at all of his programmes, such as the establishment of oxygen plants in 16 cities and his grants and scholarships. However, whenever the Delhi and Punjab administrations attempted to collaborate with him on his charitable activity, the actor became a tax evader, according to Sena.
