Government freezes Villa accounts
13 May 2015, 7:45 PM
Zaheena Rasheed
The central bank has frozen the accounts of several companies owned by opposition Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, over a US$90.4 million payment allegedly owed as unpaid rent, fines and interest on several properties leased for tourism.
The Villa group has refused to make the payment and is contesting the tax authority’s claim at the civil court. Gasim has accused the government of unfairly targeting his business interests.
The Villa group operates businesses in shipping, import and export, retail, tourism, fishing, media, communications, transport and education. Only the accounts of companies which hold the properties were frozen. They are Villa Shipping, Villa Holidays, Gazeera Pvt Ltd and Maanenfushi Pvt Ltd.
Villa officials on Tuesday told local media the accounts slated to be frozen are empty.
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