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Sonu Sood posts statement on Rs. 20cr tax evasion allegation
Sonu Sood has spoken up for the first time since I-T Department accused him of tax evasion

Sonu Sood posts statement on Rs. 20cr tax evasion allegation

Sep 20, 2021
08:18 pm

What's the story

Days after the Income Tax Department leveled tax evasion allegations amounting to over Rs. 20 crore against Sonu Sood, the actor has put forward his side. Without referring to the intensive search operation conducted on his Mumbai properties, Sood shared a statement on social media, saying how he believed he didn't need to tell his side of the story as time will. Here's more.

Details

'Every rupee in my foundation' dedicated to the needy

Sharing a Hindi couplet about the good wishes of Indians making any harsh road bearable in the caption, the 48-year-old posted his statement on Monday. "I have pledged myself to the service of the people of India with all my strength and heart. Every rupee in my foundation is awaiting its turn to save a precious life and reach the needy," the note said.

Context

CBDT had said majority sum in Sood's foundation remained unutilized

To give you context, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had said earlier that the majority sum of donations accumulated in the actor's foundation, called the Sood Charity Foundation, had not been used for relief work. This was in addition to raising Rs. 2.1 crore from overseas donors using a crowdfunding platform, in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

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'Busy attending to a few guests,' said the star

Coming back to his statement, the Happy New Year actor mentioned how he has encouraged brands to donate his endorsement fees "for humanitarian causes." He noted that he was not able to extend help on Twitter as usual because he was "busy attending to a few guests." But he promised he was back again "at your humble service for life. My journey continues."

Twitter Post

Read the entire statement here

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Sood also clarified about his political alignments in recent interview

Speaking to NDTV, Sood denied allegations of tax evasion and illegal funding. He said, "I make sure every single penny donated by anyone in this universe is accounted for." Commenting on political alignments, the actor clarified he was not ready for active politics yet.

Social media

While some welcomed 'messiah' back; some ridiculed the actor online

Meanwhile, netizens were visibly divided after receiving Sood's side of the story. While some welcomed the "messiah" back with open arms, others showed skepticism at the actor's will to do charitable work. The hashtag #ScamSood trended on Twitter the whole day with social media users sharing various memes and jokes. Hopefully, we will get more clarity on the matter in the upcoming days.