Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Parliamentarian and Committee member Wasantha Samarasinghe also called on Minister Rauff Hakeem to immediately resign from the post of Chairman of PAC if he finds it difficult to implement any of the Committee’s recommendations.

He said that because of pressure from the top, the Chairman appeared to be soft-peddling the issue and is yet to implement several decisions taken by the PAC against the Inland Revenue Chief.

“The President has openly objected to the Committee’s decision to send the Inland Revenue Chief on compulsory leave as he knows that once investigations begin, all the ‘shady dealings’ at the Inland Revenue Department will come to light,” Samarasinghe said.

Accusing the President of protecting ‘thieves’, he said they are not simply making verbal accusations against anyone and they have documented proof against these charges they have brought.

Several UNP members in the PAC are also of the same opinion.

The PAC Chairman Hakeem had argument and counter-argument with the President during the Cabinet meeting early this week for President’s bid to save Inland Revenue Commissioner General A.A. Wijepala.

He insisted that he would go ahead with the Committee’s recommendations against Wijepala.

The PAC is expected to meet again in Parliament on November 5.

Meanwhile, legal experts and parliamentarians have given different views over a PAC decision to ask the Finance Ministry to investigate the Tax Chief over his alleged involvement in the VAT fraud.

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