ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has issued an order in favour of poor farmers of Sindh and directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to investigate alleged tax fraud committed by a tractor maker.

The order issued by the FTO noted that the tractor maker had made improper sales tax refund claims of Rs14.8 billion during 2017-22. Camouflaging transactions, engineered purchases were attributed to fake buyers who were not growers and farmers. The case relates to a complaint by Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, Hyderabad, said the FTO.

The complainant alleged that the tractor maker claimed fake refunds in the name of sales to growers of Sindh and submitted sales tax refunds to the FBR against these transactions.

The FTO’s order added that bookings of tractors were made by investors but these buyers were not shown as growers and farmers. — Staff Reporter