213 cases of service tax evasion against BCCI/IPL: Govt

The Finance Ministry today said there were as many as 213 cases of service tax evasion relating to BCCI/IPL, involving Rs 261.64 crore between 2009-10 and May 6, 2014.
"Besides, Enforcement Directorate has issued Show Cause Notices (SCNs) involving an amount of Rs 2,148.3 crore of contravention of provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) against the BCCI, Lalit Modi and others," Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said in Lok Sabha.
In the written reply, he also said that four SCNs have been adjudicated and penalty of Rs 98.35 crore imposed.
To a question if BCCI/IPL has allegedly violated taxes and money laundering laws/regulations in organising sports events in the country, the minister replied, "Yes".

On the issue of foreign exchange payment guarantees by the BCCI-IPL for auction of foreign players, the government had said earlier this week in an Action Taken Report before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance that the investigation has revealed the cricketing body having extended guarantees to the tune of USD 18.6 million in violation of FEMA rules.
"Investigations in this regard are at an advanced stage," the report had said.

Also, during the IPL-II held in South Africa in April-May 2009, BCCI remitted an amount of USD 49.86 million without permission of the RBI for opening and/or operating foreign currency account in the African nation.

Besides, 19 show-cause notices involving a total amount of Rs 2,042.45 crore have been issued for contravention of FEMA provisions, it had said.
The FEMA violations, the report said, relates to ownership of IPL franchises, nature of foreign investments and valuation of shares and transfer thereof in respect of some franchises.