Gorkha Brewery under scrunity, Escaping from Tax from last five years

Kathmandu : In the recent scenario of losing the demand of Nepalese beer produced from Gorkha Brewery , it has been noticed that the company is not paying the Revenue to the Government of Nepal since five years. The estimated amount to be paid to the Government is NPR 150 crore.

According to the Government sources, Gorkha Brewery has not paid the tax to the Government from the last 5 years. In order to escape from paying the tax, the company is setting a scene by filing the cases in the court misusing the Power making the Government bodies in a pendulum state.

As per the Tax Office, it has been found that Gorkha Brewery is yet to pay more than NPR 150 Crore as a tax to the Government. Though the tax has been increased by not paying it on time in monthly basis, the company has refused to pay the tax by challenging the Government Tax office. The sources claimed that the operational party from the company has tried to make influence making a setting with the Political Advisor of Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli  Mr. Bishnu Rimal and son-in-law of Finance Minister Dr. Yubraj Khatiwada as well as advisor Mr. Ramsharan Kharel in order to escape from the Tax. Though the Investigation showed to pay an amount of NPR 150 Crore but with the influence of Power there seems to be some hidden relation between Rimal and Kharel to saturate the case and make it soluble.

The Industry is located in Nawalpur whereas the Registration of Company is in Bharatpur. The Tax inspection of the fiscal year 2073/2074 and 2074/2075 showed that the company has to pay NPR 88 Crore 10 lakhs. On that Circumstances, the company has done misdeeds regarding the payment as VAT and also with the exposure of fake Inland Revenue Sticker inside the Office. For the Beer Production company there is a rule that during the period of production and delivery company can outcut the expenses upto 2% for the probable damage but it has been also found that this company has put upto 3% as the outcut charge from the probable damage during the period. Standing on this instance, the file was cased from the Tax Office in Jestha 9. To weaken the case, the operators of the company has made a secret relation with Rimal and Kharel. As Finance minister is ruling for strict collection of the taxes but this case has obviously made a kind of weak implementation of the act. The current case has high chance to get soluble with the impact of Power holders . The letter has released from the Tax office to pay NPR 88 Crore 10 lakhs to the company but there seems no progress about the payment.  

Office at Ktm, Industry at Nawalpur and Case filed in Pokhara
The tax decided to pay in the fiscal year 2073/2074 was NPR 52 crore and 16 lakhs and that of the year 2074/2075 was NPR 35 crore and 94 Lakhs. After getting the letter from TAX Office, Gorkha Brewery has filed a case in the High Court of POKHARA. The company registration of this company is in Bhratpur whereas the cental office in Kathmandu and Industry in Nawalpur.  Saying the Industry lies in State No. 4 The Company has protested to stop the payment of Tax from the Court. But just opposite to the rule, Gorkha Brewery has filed the case in the High Court of Pokhara. Sources say that this was the suggestion given by Rimal and Kharel. The High court from Pokhara has given the stay order not to proceed for any action till the 2nd of Asad.  The Recent order from High court from Pokhara with a combined effort of Judge Mr. Jivan Hari Adhikari and Narabahadur Shahi has decided not to determine the Tax to the Company. It has been estimated that there has been good play of money for this kind of unfair judgement. On this decision made, Tax office has counseled with the Inland Revenue Department. Tax office is in the mood to re lodge the file in the Supreme Court being dissatisfied with the decision made from the High Court Pokhara. One of the official from Supreme Court has told the letter of Decision from High Court Pokhara is yet to come in Kathmandu for further action. He claimed that there is abviously some sort of big plot of money lending. This has clearly showed that in order to make a huge loss for the Government to collect the Tax Businessman can go any sort of Extent which is a matter of misery . Still it is not sure the Tax will be paid by the company as per inspected.

The Dispute of TAX Was from the beginning
The tax dispute of Gorkha Brewery is not a new one. Still in the supreme Court the decision is yet to be out regarding the decision of IRD. The case of the fiscal year 2070/2071 and 2071/2072 is still pending from Revenue Tribunal. The Tax office has fixed the Tax of Fiscal Year 2070/2071 to be NPR 7 Crore 18 lakhs and that of 2071/2072 is 15 crore 61 lakhs. The former Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli has declared to stop the process of Tax Collection from Supreme court. The disputes are around the case regarding the collection of the Tax from the big companies. To talk about Gorkha Brewery, this company was established in the year 1989 with the combined share of Khaitan Group and Carlsberg for the production of Beer. In the year 2010 the majority share has been taken by Carlsberg from Khaitan Group. Gorkha Brewery currently is producing Tuborg, Gorkha and Carlsberg Beer and Somras –B. Company has claimed it has adopted 70% market in Nepal but because of the excessive amount of Alcohol the Quality controller Department has also tried to punish it but could not reach to the success. All the punishment could not be approached because of the power centres that has been attached with this company. To talk more about it, its MARKET Director Mr. Baibhav Sarma has refused to come into contact since long time.