Capital’s main commercial hub closed in protest of RID’s action against traders

Shops, businesses and commercial complexes at the busy commercial center of New Road in the capital city remained closed Tuesday in protest of the raid carried out by the Revenue Investigation Department (RID) officials in some shops of the Suraj Arcade and RB complex shopping centers on suspicion of evading tax yesterday.

STONED BEING RAIDED: The RID raiding five shops at Suraj Arcade and RB Complex Monday. (Photo souce: TRN)

Local business associations had called an indefinite strike following RID action against the suspected shops. Local businessmen had also taken out a rally against the government action following the incident yesterday.

Nepal Chambers of Commerce including other business association and organizations have expressed solidarity to the protests by New Road businessmen.

After getting a tip-off about irregularities in VAT committed by some businessmen, the RID officials went to RB complex at Pako, New road at 10 am to raid some shops for their owners’ alleged involvement in revenue theft.

However, the RB complex businessmen manhandled and took RID investigative officers into captivity for hours when they were sealing some shops on the suspicion of evading tax.

Later Armed Police Force personnel were mobilized to release the RID officials from the captivity of the businessmen and their helpers.

Before being held by businessmen, the RID officials had sealed five shops inside RB complex and one in Suraj Arcade.

The situation in RB complex was tense until 3 pm yesterday after the traders began pelting the APF men with stones. The police managed to take control of the situation and escorted out the detained officials at 3:15 pm.

“We are taking the incident very seriously and will take action against them,” reports quoted RID director general Tanka Mani Sharma as saying Tuesday. He added that his department had gathered substantial information about irregularities. nepalnews.com ag Mar 17 09