Mumbai: Actor Sonu Sood has finally responded to the recent controversy following tax raids at his Mumbai offices a few days ago. The ‘Dabangg’ celebrity, who has been assisting those in need through his charitable foundation during the continuing pandemic, issued a statement on his social media accounts on Monday.
“You don’t always have to tell your side of the story. Time will. 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 post read.
The Income Tax Department raided the 48-year-old actor for four days in a row, alleging that he dodged taxes worth over Rs 20 crore. His altruistic activities during the COVID crisis earned him widespread recognition. Sonu and his associates were allegedly involved in a Rs 20 crore tax evasion scheme and a breach of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) while obtaining cash from abroad, according to the Income Tax Department. The IT department also accused the Sood Charity Foundation, a non-profit charity organisation founded during the pandemic last year, of violating the FCRA. The investigation is still underway. “The main modus operandi followed by the actor had been to route his unaccounted income in the form of bogus unsecured loans from many bogus entities,” the tax department said in the statement.