Sajin de Vass ordered to submit written explanations on Rs. 36.9M tax evasion charge

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, Sept. 22 (Daily Mirror) - The Colombo Additional Magistrate today ordered former State Minister Sajin de Vass Gunawardena to submit written explanations to court on December 16 regarding the alleged evasion of income tax amounting to Rs. 36.9 million payable to the State.

The case, filed by the Department of Inland Revenue against the accused over the alleged non-payment of Rs. 36,975,959 in income tax for the years 2010 to 2013, was recalled today. 

Appearing on behalf of the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue, Counsel Dinesh Perera submitted that the accused, a businessman, had failed to pay personal income tax during that period, thereby causing a loss to the State.

He further informed court that although the accused had appealed to the Court of Appeal against the earlier order, that appeal had been dismissed. 

Counsel also noted that a further appeal had been filed before the Supreme Court, but no order has yet been issued in that regard.

Appearing for the accused, Counsel Jeevantha Jayatilaka told court that a Supreme Court case concerning the matter has already been fixed for hearing before a bench headed by the Chief Justice on March 26 next year. 

Counsel submitted that there is no obstacle for the present proceedings to continue until then.

Having considered the submissions of both counsel, the Additional Magistrate directed the accused to file written submissions on December 16 setting out the reasons for non-payment of the said income tax.