-By A Staff Writer
(Lanka-e-News -08.Oct.2024, 10.00 pm) In a shocking revelation, former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has admitted to protecting politician Imtiaz Bakir Makar from a criminal investigation into what has been described as the largest VAT scam in South Asia. The scam, which took place between 2002 and 2004, cost Sri Lankan taxpayers nearly 40 billion rupees.
According to reports, fraudulent documents were used to claim money from the Inland Revenue Department, implicating several individuals, including relatives of politicians like Bakir.Kamil and Hassan , brother in laws of SJB Chairman, Imthiyaz Baker Markkar were convicted for the crime but 40 billions were not recovered, according to reliable sources, Imthiyaz Baker Markar, laundered that money through a private connection to Middle East and Malaysian banks.
At the time of the investigation, Rajapaksa was preparing to contest the 2005 presidential election. Surprisingly, Bakir, despite the ongoing investigation, played a secretive role in supporting Rajapaksa’s campaign. After Rajapaksa’s victory, an event held at Temple Trees saw Rohitha Abegunawardhana and Marjan Falil publicly commending Bakir’s efforts in helping secure the election win. Rajapaksa, in response, acknowledged Bakir’s assistance and disclosed that Bakir had asked him to shield him from the VAT investigation in return for his support.
The scandal does not end there. According to close associates of Rajapaksa, Bakir was also forced to reveal details of opposition leader Sajith Premadasa’s campaign during the 2019 presidential election. Bakir, it appears, once again played a duplicitous role, assisting Rajapaksa’s political circle while betraying Premadasa and his party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
These revelations have caused a stir within political circles, with SJB members now questioning Bakir’s loyalty and involvement in the massive VAT fraud. Allegations are also surfacing about whether Bakir’s son, Fadil, benefited from the scam and whether there was any connection to the businessman Qutubuddin.
Calls for a fresh investigation into Bakir’s involvement in the VAT scam are growing louder, with demands for the current government, led by the National People’s Power (NPP), to take action. Many are urging a closer examination of whether Bakir and his family personally benefited from the billions siphoned off through the tax scam.
As the chairman of SJB, Bakir’s position is now under scrutiny, with concerns about his double standards and potential complicity in one of Sri Lanka’s most infamous financial scandals.
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by (2024-10-08 16:33:13)
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