Businessman sentenced to 12 months in prison

Singapore, Nov 2 (UNI) A Singapore businessman of Indian origin has been jailed for twelve months for cheating the city's taxman in claiming Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Shyam Lekhraj Bhojwani, 41, and a partner of Lekhraj&Bros, was also ordered to pay a penalty of Singapore dollars 187 million, three times the amount of tax he tried to claim.

Bhojwani pleaded guity on four counts for overstating GST amount to Singapore dollars 621,767, based on the factious purchase of mobile phones in 2004.

District Judge Miranda Yeo yesterday took into consideration two accounts of Singapore dollars 717,472 worth of willful intent to evade GST.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore noted discripencies while auditing Lekhraj&Bros accounts in 2004, according to media reports today.

Bhojwani told the court that all the phones were sold to customers in Indonesia but a Singapore Textile Company, Sadhashiv Enterprise Pvt Ltd, had made huge GST refund claims on the deals.

Singapore levies five per cent GST.

UNI XC KD ht1327