Tax fraud: Remand of tax official extended

NAB arrested Orakzai over alleged involvement in fake income tax refunds, resulting in loss of Rs160m to exchequer.

PESHAWAR:

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa received a 10-day extension for the physical remand of Commissioner Income Tax, Abbottabad, Asif Haider Orakzai on Tuesday.

NAB arrested Orakzai last month over his alleged involvement in fake income tax refunds, resulting in a loss of Rs160 million to the exchequer.

On the pretext of earthquake relief efforts, the suspect allegedly prepared bogus income tax refund certificates by collecting signed cheques from those affected by 2005’s earthquake between 2008 and 2009, and embezzled a staggering Rs160 million.

On Tuesday, all three suspects were presented in court. Special Prosecutor NAB Lajbar Khan requested the court allow the bureau to hold custody of the accused for 14 more days but the court only granted a 10-day extension.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2014.