ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notice to a private firm which manufactures batteries, for allegedly submitting fake documents in a tax fraud case.

IHC Justice Babar Sattar issued the notice on the complaint of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

The firm is the manufacturer of two battery brands. Initially, the firm had filed a petition in the IHC following a search operation conducted by the FBR at its offices. The case was heard by Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb.

However, on the request of the company’s counsel, Justice Aurangzeb referred the matter to the chief justice, who transferred the petition to Justice Sattar, who was hearing an identical matter.

After initial hearing in the petition against FBR’s search operation, Justice Sattar sought CCTV footage and warned the senior echelon of the FBR of consequences, if they failed to prove the bona fide.

The FBR accused the petitioner of submitting false transportation receipts known as “bilties”, to mislead the court and substantiate a non-existent business transaction involving the transport of 17 million kilogrammes of lead.

The board pointed out that the company had submitted two volumes of transportation receipts to prove the transportation of lead from Karachi to Hattar.

However, a preliminary investigation by FBR revealed that the documents were entirely fake.

An investigation revealed that the transport company that supposedly issued the bilties does not exist at the address provided on documents. The shop, located in Karachi, had been closed for years.

The alleged owner of the transport company also denied any involvement in the transaction.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2025