Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
International

Indian Restaurant Chain Masala's $34 Million Assets Seized In New Zealand After Allegations Of Fraud

Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Feb, 2016 01:04 PM
    The police have seized Indian restaurant chain Masala's 33 properties worth $34 million in what is believed to be the largest cache of property ever restrained by the law enforcement authorities in New Zealand, a media report said.
     
    The asset freeze came after allegations of tax fraud to the tune of $7.4 million dollars, newstalkzb.co.nz reported on Saturday.
     
    Revenue authorities have been investigating 17 firms involved with the Masala chain for allegedly under-reporting earnings.
     
    The restaurant chain owners, Joti Jain, Rupinder Chahil, Rajwinder Grewal and Supinder Singh have allegedly evaded paying tax by systematically stripping cash from the restaurants and not declaring cash sales in GST returns, investigator Elena Bryleva stated in an affidavit.
     
    The brand came under scrutiny last year for paying its employees as little as $2 an hour. Co-owner Jain was sentenced to 11 months home detention last October after admitting immigration and exploitation charges. 
     
    According to Immigration New Zealand, one of her victims worked 66 hour weeks for months at the Takapuna restaurant and was also told to clean Jain's house - all for no more than $3 an hour.
     
    Masala founder Chahil is already facing six charges alleging he falsified immigration documents and supplied misleading information contrary to immigration laws.
     
    Properties seized include a $3 million dollar house in Auckland's Remuera area, a parcel of land in Takanini and four other properties believed to have been used as accommodation for Masala workers.
     
    Some of the restaurants have since been sold and renamed.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Arvind Kejriwal seeks 'explanation' from PMO over CBI raid

    Arvind Kejriwal seeks 'explanation' from PMO over CBI raid
    Hours after a Delhi court ordered the CBI to return the documents it seized from Delhi Secretariat in December, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday sought an "explanation" from the Prime Minister's Office over the CBI's raid.

    Arvind Kejriwal seeks 'explanation' from PMO over CBI raid

    Sarah Palin: 'No More Pussyfootin' Around,' Endorses Donald Trump

    Sarah Palin: 'No More Pussyfootin' Around,' Endorses Donald Trump
    WASHINGTON — One of the most polarizing figures in American politics has helped obliterate any lingering chance that Donald Trump might recede to the background before the presidential nomination voting starts in two weeks.

    Sarah Palin: 'No More Pussyfootin' Around,' Endorses Donald Trump

    Think Twice Before Joining ISIS. Salaries Slashed By Half

    Think Twice Before Joining ISIS. Salaries Slashed By Half
    The group's Bayt al-Mal, the Treasury Ministry, has decided to cut the salaries of its fighters in half due to the "exceptional circumstances" ISIS has been witnessing

    Think Twice Before Joining ISIS. Salaries Slashed By Half

    Muslim Women Must Pass English Test To Stay In England: David Cameron

    Cameron said there were 190,000 British Muslim women who spoke little or no English and Britain needed to take on the “backward attitudes” of some men whom he said exerted damaging control over their wives

    Muslim Women Must Pass English Test To Stay In England: David Cameron

    US Pilot Finds Appearance Of Sikh, Three Muslims Uneasy, Kicks Them Off Flight

    US Pilot Finds Appearance Of Sikh, Three Muslims Uneasy, Kicks Them Off Flight
    When they asked the flight crew why they were being removed, the flight attendant told them to exit "peacefully" and "demanded" they return to the gate and await further directions

    US Pilot Finds Appearance Of Sikh, Three Muslims Uneasy, Kicks Them Off Flight

    Pakistan Urges UNSC To Implement Its Resolutions On Kashmir

    Pakistan Urges UNSC To Implement Its Resolutions On Kashmir
    Pakistan has expressed confidence that the UN Security Council will deliver on its pledge to hold a plebiscite in Kashmir.

    Pakistan Urges UNSC To Implement Its Resolutions On Kashmir