Sonu Sood posts statement on Rs. 20cr tax evasion allegation
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.
'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.
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.
'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."
Read the entire statement here
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.
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.
