Sonu Sood releases statement on Rs 20 crore tax evasion allegation: ‘I’ve been attending to a few guests…’

Actor Sonu Sood released a statement on social media after his offices and property were raided by the Income Tax Department.

After  Sonu Sood’s offices, property and residence were surveyed by the Income Tax Department earlier this month, the actor released a statement on social media. In the statement, he mentioned that does not need to tell ‘his side of the story.’ Sonu also said that every rupee of his foundation goes to the needy or to save a life. He added that he has also urged brands to donate his endorsement fees to charities. He also wrote that he was not able to help people for a few days as he was attending guests and from now will be back to support those in need.

Captioning his post with a Hindi couplet, Sonu said that he has the support and best wishes of every Indian.

The post read, “You don’t always have to tell your side of the story, time will. I have pledged myself to the service of the people of India with all my strength and heart. Every rupee in my foundation is awaiting its turn to save a precious life and reach the needy. In addition on many occasions, I have encouraged brands to donate my endorsement fees for humanitarian causes too, which keeps us going. I have been busy attending to a few guests, hence was unable to be at your service for the past few days. Here I am back again, in all humility, at your humble service for life. My journey continues.”

The post comes after the Central Board Of Taxes alleged that Sonu Sood had evaded tax of Rs 20 crore, claiming that after the Income Tax Department raided him and a linked Lucknow-based infrastructure group, it was apparently found that he routed his “unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities”. It also accused Sood of violating the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while raising donations from abroad. On September 15, the I-T department had searched 28 premises in Mumbai, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jaipur, Delhi and Gurgaon in connection with its case against the actor and a Lucknow-based real estate firm. According to the tax authority, Sood’s charity foundation – founded last July – raised Rs 18.94 crore in donations from April 2021 till date and spent only Rs 1.7 crore in relief work. The remaining Rs 17 crore is lying with the foundation unutilised, it alleged.

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