VAT Intelligence sues 3 more SR Group restaurants for Tk7.13cr VAT evasion 

The VAT Intelligence Department has filed cases against three more restaurants, owned by SR Group, for hiding actual sales information and evading Value Added Tax (VAT) worth Tk7.13 crore.  

The three institutions are Sung Food Garden at Bijaynagar, and two outlets of Garlic N Ginger in Dhanmondi and at Jamuna Future Park in the capital.

The investigation of the VAT detectives revealed that the restaurants had done business of around Tk32.25 crore and evaded Tk7.13 crore in VAT.

Earlier, Food Village and Food Village Plus, two popular highway restaurants in the northern part of the country under the same group, had hidden sales information of around Tk200 crore to evade VAT worth Tk26 crore.

On 14 September, a team of VAT detectives conducted a raid at a residence in Nikunjo -1 in the capital on specific allegations of VAT evasion.

Information was found during the drive about the actual and hidden sales of the three restaurants and other institutions, owned by SR Group. 

According to the VAT detectives' preliminary investigation, Sung Food Garden (BIN-001316297-0208) had shown sales of Tk6.34 crore in the submission letter.

But documents seized during the drive indicated sales of Tk21.80 crore and evaded VAT worth Tk2.32 crore. 

Due to non-payment of VAT on time, the interest stands at Tk1.02 crore (at 2% interest rate per month per the VAT Act).  

The restaurant named Garlic N Ginger (BIN-002128862-0101) showed sales of Tk3.46 crore in the submission. But the seized data shows actual VAT leviable sales of Tk15.07 crore.

The amount of VAT evasion is Tk1.83 crore. Due to the non-payment of this VAT on time, the amount of interest owed is Tk90 lakh (at 2% interest rate per month).

Another branch of the "Garlic N Ginger" restaurant (BIN-001215883-0201) had declared a sale of Tk2.33 crore in its submission. But the investigation found sales of Tk7.52 crore. The restaurant had evaded VAT of Tk79.96 lakh. 

Because of the non-payment of VAT on time, the applicable interest stands at Tk25.91 lakh (2% interest rate per month).

For the disposal of the cases, Garlic N Ginger will be sent to the Dhaka North VAT Commissionerate, and the remaining two will be sent to the Dhaka South VAT Commissionerate.

The department had also unveiled Great Kebab Factory, an upmarket restaurant, which concealed sales of around Tk15 crore in three of its branches in Gulshan-2, Jamuna Future Park and Dhanmondi areas of ​​the capital. A case of VAT evasion of around Tk3 crore was filed against this business group.