ACC files case against NBR ex-commissioner for giving illegal benefits to four mobile operators
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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against ex-National Board of Revenue (NBR) Commissioner Wahida Rahman Chowdhury for allegedly embezzling and misappropriating over Tk 1.52 billion in Illicit deals with four telecom operators.
The four telecom operators are Grameenphone Ltd, Robi Axiata Limited, Banglalink Digital Communications Limited, and Airtel Bangladesh, according to ACC officials.
ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen at a press conference held at its premises said the ACC lodged the case against former NBR Commissioner (Large Taxpayers Unit, VAT) Wahida Rahman Chowdhury (60) on Tuesday for causing financial loss to the government by abusing her power.
Wahida illegally and dishonestly waived unpaid interest amounting to Tk 1.52 billion in 16 documents through unilateral executive decisions, she added.
On Tuesday (June 11), the case was filed by ACC Assistant Director Md Shah Alam Sheikh at the Integrated District Office, Dhaka-1.
The 16 documents primarily concern the collection of VAT applicable on the rental of space and premises. Since VAT is legally applicable on space and premises, the concerned authorities of the organisations agreed to pay the claimed VAT in an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) meeting and timely paid more than Tk 1.89 billion.
As this revenue was not paid within the due period, the applicable interest according to VAT law amounted to Tk 1.52 billion.
When the documents were presented for the collection of interest in accordance with section 39(3) of the Value Added Tax Act, 1991, the then-commissioner, Wahida Rahman Chowdhury, promptly ordered the calculation of the interest, according to the case document provided by the ACC.
Nearly 3 to 5 months later, the same Commissioner, Wahida Rahman Chowdhury, citing some arguments, abused her power and criminal breach of trust by unilaterally changing the decision to collect interest with dishonest intent. The amount of Tk .152 billion was legally recoverable, and the unilateral executive decision not to collect this interest was inappropriate. As a result, it appears that the government's collection of Tk 1.52 billion was obstructed, it added.
This abuse of power and criminal breach of trust caused financial loss to the government and constituted a punishable offence under sections 218/409 of the Penal Code 1860 and section 5(2) of the Corruption Prevention Act. - 1947.