RCCC starts hearing on tax evasion

Kathmandu, Aug 24- The Royal Commission for Control of Corruption (RCCC) started hearing from the lawyers on whether to remand in judicial custody those implicated in the tax evasion case Tuesday. Government Attorney Laxmi Ram Dhungana pleaded on behalf of the government and advocate Anil Kumar Sinha argued on behalf of the defendants today.The Commission started seeking explanation from the accused in the case after taking them into custody last Thursday. Those accused including three government officials—joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance Deep Basnet, director general of the Revenue Investigation Department Abanindra Kumar Shrestha, tax officer Sharada Prasad Dahal and proprietor of the Plywood Store Basundhara, Jaya Prakash Shrestha have been charge-sheeted in connection to the evasion of value added tax (VAT) to the tune of Rs. 34.1 million.The prosecutor has accused them of misappropriating the said amount by undervaluing VAT worth Rs. 34.1 million to Rs. 800 thousand. Those implicated are in police custody.