Men missing in VAT scam

Six suspects involved in the Value Added Tax (VAT) fraud amounting to Rs. 3,999 million, were remanded this week and the indictments on them have been served. Only six of the accused appeared in court when the case was taken up before Colombo High Court judge Sunil Rajapakse on Monday.

In this case the following have been indicted:Nyanasiri de Soysa (retired Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue), Ananda Wickramasinghe (Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue), Rasheed Mohammed Mursheed,.Bakeer Mohamed Mursheed,. Mohammed Subair Faousul Awami,Mohamed Maujul Ameer Murshad alias Mohammed Nazeer Cader,.Nagur Adumai Mohammed Nashmi alias Abdul Ibrahim,.Mohammed Kameel Kuthubdeen, Abdul Wadood Mohamed Safi alais Meer Saibu Liyaqath Ali, Sinniah Subramaniam,.Salawadeen Mohammed Ashrof,.Mohamed Cassim Mohamed Safik,.Mohamed Ismail Mohammed Rizwin alias Sulaiman Lebbe Abdul Kareema Sahabdeen Abdulla.

Of them Nyanasiri de Soysa, Ananda Wickremasinghe, Subramaniam Mohamed Ashroff, Mohamed Cassim and Mohamed Rizwin appeared in courtwhile the others are absconding. State counsel informed court that since there was evidence to suggest that some of the suspects were trying to evade presence in court, they should be remanded.

The main allegation against the suspects is that they had defrauded the state of Rs 3999.6 million allegedly with the assistance of Inland Revenue official Neville Shantha Wattaladeniya who has since passed away. The misappropriation had taken place between November 15, 2002 and August 15, 2004.

The indictments served on the accused are as follows:

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rahseed Mursheed and Bakeer Mursheed) indicted for the misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 70.8 million to Initag Kandy (Pvt) Ltd, Rs. 120.7 million to Initag Apparels (Pvt) Ltd, Rs. 70.3 millions to Worldgate Apparel Company, Rs. 160 million to Worldgate Apparels (Pvt) Ltd, and Rs. 76 million to Worldgate Euro Apparel Gate Company.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Bakeer Mursheed and Faousal Awami) indicted for the misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 90.3 million to South Lanka garments Industries and Rs. 150.7 million to South Lanka garments.

Acccused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Bakeer Mursheed, Maujul Ameer and Mohammed Nashmi) indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 175.8 million and Rs. 159.6 million to Pro Garments.

The 1,2,3,4 and 9th accused Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed and Liyaqath Ali indicted for misappropriation and releasing of 187.9 million to Ali LMSL Creation Apparels Company.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Bakeer Mursheed, Sinnaiah Subramaniam and Mohammed Ashrof) indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 106.1 million to Universal Garments Export, Rs. 102.5 million to Unilever Export Garments, Rs. 61.2 million and Rs. 51.4 million to Lotus Apparel, Rs. 144.2 million to Upali Garments (Pvt) Ltd, Rs. 78.4 million and Rs. 54 million to S.Subramaniam and Rs. 150. 8 million to Lotus Garments.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed, Nazeer Cader and Kameel Kuthubdeen indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 328.1 million Euro Clothing (Pvt) Ltd.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed, Mohammed Nashmi and Kameel Kuthubdeen) indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 319.1 million to Youthline Apparels (Pvt) Ltd.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed, Ameer Murshad and Kameel Kuthubdeen) indicted for misappropriation and releasing Rs, 245.5 million and Rs. 101.5 million to Cobe Apparels.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, , Bakeer Mursheed, Ameer Murshad, Mohammed Nashmi and Kameel Kuthubdeen) indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 177.1 million to Lord and Taylor company.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, , Bakeer Mursheed and Mohamed Safik) indicted for misappropriation and releasing Rs. 29. 9 million to Canbro International (Pvt) Ltd.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed) indicted for misappropriation and releasing of Rs. 137.8 million to Minipe Garments (Pvt) Ltd.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Rasheed Mursheed, Bakeer Mursheed, Abdul Kareema and Abdulla ) indicted for misappropriation and releasing Rs. 188.8 million to Polytex Apparels.

Accused (Soysa, Wickremasinghe, Bakeer Mursheed and Liyaqath Ali) indicted for misappropriation and releasing Rs. 20.7 million to Creative Apparels.

Accused Soysa, Wickremasinghe and Kameel Kuthubdeen) indicted for misappropriation and releasing Rs. 51.9 million to K.I.L.Apparels, Rs. 69.9 million to Randu Garments, Rs. 52.5 million to Fashion Garments, Rs. 71.6 million to D.T.N.Apparels, Rs. 69.2 million to Supreme Garments.