A tax officer of the Regional Tax Office (RTO) Bahawalpur, deputed at a sweet shop to monitor production and sales, was caught while verifying over 100 Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) sales tax invoices from the same point of sales (POS) ID to win prizes on its lucky draw (POS Invoicing Prize Scheme).
The FBR issued a notification today detailing that disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against the accused, namely, Muhammad Akram, Inspector-IR (BS-16), RTO, Bahawalpur, under Efficiency and Discipline (E&D) Rules, 2020, vide the Charge Sheet of Allegations dated 1 March 2022 on the following charges.
‘As the Inspector-IR performed his duty concerning 40B of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, on the business premises of M/s Haji Rasheed Sweet Shop, Bahawalpur, he and his spouse each verified more than 100 invoices from the same POS ID, and thus, misused the authority for the purpose of enhancing chances to win the prize on the lucky draw’.
Additional Commissioner-IR, Regional Tax Office, (RTO), Bahawalpur, Attiya Rahman, was appointed as Enquiry Officer vide the Order of Inquiry. She submitted an Inquiry Report with the findings that Inspector-IR, Muhammad Akram, seems to have misused his authority to enhance his chances to win the prize for the lucky draw. She recommended imposing a minor penalty of ‘Censure’ on the accused Inspector-IR under Rule 4(2)(a) of the Civil Servants (Efficiency & Discipline) Rules, 20.
Based on the findings of the Inquiry Officer, Akram was served a Show Cause Notice and was advised to state whether he wished to be heard in person. The latter submitted a reply to the Show Cause Notice on 10 May 2022 and denied the charges leveled against him but did not request a personal hearing.
A Member of the Authority studied all the aspects of the case, the Inquiry Report, and the reply to the Show Cause Notice, and found the accused guilty of ‘Misconduct’. The Authority, therefore, agreed with the recommendations of the Inquiry Officer and imposed a minor penalty of ‘Censure’ on Akram under Rule 4(2)(a) of the Civil Servants (E&D) Rules, 2020, as per the FBR order.
Are we out of honest people? Who will keep monitoring that person? The best way is to terminate him and appoint honest person.