IT dept alleges Sonu Sood, associates evaded Rs 20 cr tax, violated FCRA

TIL Desk/National/Mumbai/ The CBDT on Saturday alleged that actor Sonu Sood and his associates evaded tax of Rs 20 crore and claimed that after the Income Tax Department raided him and a linked Lucknow-based infrastructure group it was found that he routed his “unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities”.

It also accused Sood of violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while raising donations from abroad. The department had launched searches against the 48-year-old actor and the Lucknow-based group of industries involved in infrastructure on September 15 and the CBDT said the action was continuing.

“During the course of search at the premises of the actor and his associates, incriminating evidence pertaining to tax evasion has 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,” the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) claimed in a statement.

It added that, so far, use of 20 such entries has been found and the providers of which, on examination, have “accepted” on oath to have given “bogus” accommodation entries (transaction entries in accounts).