The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has denied a bail request for Arjun Aloysius, Director of W.M. Mendis Distilleries, and two others, who were sentenced to imprisonment on Monday (14) for VAT evasion.
President’s Counsel Razik Zarook, representing the defendants urged the court to grant bail, stating that the proceedings against the three individuals had now escalated into a criminal case.
However, Colombo Additional Magistrate Bandara Ilangasinghe dismissed the appeal, explaining that the case was based on a certification from the Inland Revenue Department and that the prison sentence served as an alternative punishment, not transforming the case into a criminal trial.
Aloysius and the other defendants were sentenced to six months in prison for failing to pay Rs. 3.5 billion in Value Added Tax (VAT) owed by the company.
The Inland Revenue Department filed the case against W.M. Mendis Distilleries for tax defaults between 2016 and 2019.
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