Court seizes tax records of ex-MP Shambhu, Suchana Foundation

A Dhaka court on Thursday ordered the seizure of income tax records of former Barguna-1 lawmaker Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu and Suchana Foundation following separate applications by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Shahjahan Kabir passed the orders to facilitate investigations into allegations involving Shambhu and the foundation.

In its application concerning Shambhu, the ACC said it had filed a case against him under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The commission said seizing and examining his income tax records was necessary to verify his declared income and expenditure and determine whether he owned any other assets.

In its application concerning Suchana Foundation, the ACC alleged that the organisation evaded 99.04 lakh taka in taxes during the 2015-16 to 2024-25 tax years.

According to the application, the foundation allegedly used fraud and forgery to create false tax payment records and showed the amount as income tax expenses in its audit reports, resulting in the misappropriation of 99.04 lakh taka in government funds.

The ACC also filed a case over alleged financial transactions involving 531.77 crore taka deposited into and 465.30 crore taka withdrawn from 14 bank accounts held in the foundation's name.

The commission said seizing the foundation's relevant records and information was essential for a proper investigation. It sought the seizure of its income tax files, including the permanent and miscellaneous sections, covering the period from the foundation's inception through the 2024-25 tax year.