Indian investor appear in Malawi court: Hire police bodyguards as he sort out tax cases

An Indian businessman Chandrashekar More who  was arrested after  Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA)  ordered his arrest for not filing a tax return and went back home while on bail appeared at the High Court in Lilongwe on 22 March saying he  is back sort out the issues he is confronted with in Malawi .

More launched Mansi international company in 2006 and only paid tax in 2010 and then sarted another company in a multibillion-kwacha agribusiness Tamanna Solvex Africa  in 2013 .

The Indian and his family then went to India after being granted bail on tax crimes of about K8 million.

Indian High Commission in Lilongwe confirmed to Nyasa Times that the investor arrived in Malawi on 21 March, 2017 to sort out the tax case against him  with Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and report to the Court, which had permitted him to travel to India after obtaining a bail.

“The Indian High Commission in Malawi  facilitated Mr More,  in obtaining a  visa by requesting the  Malawi  High Commission in New Delhi,  to extend him an appropriate  visa,  to sort out the issues he is confronted with in Malawi

“ More is in Malawi  to meet the Government of Malawi authorities to resolve the case  that is pending against him with MRA,” said Anil Kumar, the Head of Chancery High Commission of India, Malawi.

He told Nyasa Times that More is traveling on an ordinary Indian Passport and he does not enjoy any diplomatic immunity.

The High Commission of India in Malawi said it  has conveyed to the investor that he has to respect the law of  the land.

“ He will honour  and submit to the jurisdiction and directions of the Court of Malawi. Mr More has been requested to cooperate with all the Government authorities in settling the case he has  and that he should honour  all his legal  obligations and  liability

“ His grievances should   be addressed through legal channels and that he should  honor the decision conveyed or judgements delivered  against  him,” the Indian High Commission said.

Nyasa Times understands that the Indian High Commission has had meetings with MRA director Felix Tambulasi and Mesy Chalunda the head  of internal matters in the tax body to discuss with the authorites towards closure of the court case that has been lodged against him.

The Indian High Commission opts for withdraw of the case.

The Commission also asked MRA to fix a meeting with More cannot use any Malawian lawyer  for fear that they  are either not competent or compromised, and his India-based lawyer, Neelkanth Aher.

“The High Commission of India’s role in this entire case is to ensure that as an  Indian Investor in Malawi, Mr More’s   interests are fully protected as the High Commission is making  efforts to promote investment by Indian private sector in Malawi,”  the Indian High Commission told Nyasa Times in an email.

The High Commission of India said it  is not a party to the dispute that  More has with the MRA or other  Malawian Government authorities or partners in his business venture

More who  accuses Malawi government of  “grabbing the properties of foreign investors who are investing in Malawi” has since sought services of two armed security guards from Malawi Police for securing the protection of him and his Indian lawyer.

Aher says the charges against More were “so baseless and viciously motivated”

More has a bitter private wrangle with a former associate but wants to drag in the State into the matter.

Despite Indian High Commission claiming More is not enjoying diplomatic community, the investor is bossing around Malawi authorities to get his way around the issues .

The kind of treatment he is receiving could not be accorded to a Malawian businessperson who could be in the wrong side of the tax laws.

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