FBR empowers Inland Revenues to deal with FED cases

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has empowered Directorate General Intelligence and Investigation (I&I) Inland Revenues (IR) and its officers to deal with the cases of Federal Excise Duty (FED) and carry out investigation and prosecution of such units operating in the country.According to SRO 251 (1) 2019 issued by the FBR on Tuesday, the functions of Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation, Inland Revenue, shall carry out intelligence activities or intelligence gathering on tax and duty related issues including non-declaration, under-declaration, non-payment of duty, duty evasion and revenue leakages through any other means.A top official of FBR told The News that this legislation was enacted in response to a court order. After this SRO now it will effecting the transfer/posting of the officers. The FED related powers is also replica of old one which was struck down by the court and in the aftermath of fiscal act 2018 it was mandatory to bring changes in it to make it effective, they added.The I&I IR has been authorised to collect third party information relating to financial transactions in ongoing inquiries and investigations; establish and develop linkages with all major national, provincial or other data bases to collect relevant information in ongoing inquiries and investigations and identify trends and modus operandi of federal excise duty evasion and carry out inquiry and investigation to retrieve the loss of revenue.The FBR has empowered the agency to exercise powers of seizure of goods under the provisions of Federal Excise Act, 2005 and the rules made thereunder; identify and investigate cases of duty evasion having any financial implication, punishable as an offence under the Federal Excise Act, 2005 and the rules made thereunder and carry out criminal investigation and prosecution in cases involving offences punishable under the Federal Excise Act, 2005 and the rules made thereunder.Directorate General Intelligence and Investigation IR and its officers have been empowered to share or disseminate actionable information or corroborating evidence, where required, through written reports or alerts to authorities or officers in the headquarters and field formations of the Federal Board of Revenue for further proceedings and process complaints of tax, duty evasion etc.Subject to the provisions of this notification, the powers of authorities in respect of the provisions of the Federal Excise Act, 2005 specified are hereby conferred upon the director general, directors, additional directors, deputy directors, assistant directors and other officers of the Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation, Inland Revenue, to exercise such powers and perform such functions under the provisions of the said Act and the rules made thereunder and to have jurisdiction in respect of such persons or classes of persons or such areas or such cases specified.

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2BQe34P