Sonu
Sood
is
lately
in
news
for
the
tax
raids
at
his
Mumbai
residence,
offices
and
properties.
Earlier
this
month,
the
I-T
department
had
conducted
surveys
there
for
four
days
in
a
row
and
accused
the
actor
of
tax
evasion
and
illegal
funding.
In
his
latest
interview
with
a
leading
tabloid,
the
Simmba
actor
has
refuted
these
claims.
Sonu
told
Hindustan
Times,
"It
was
coming,
everyone
knew
that.
I
always
believe
that
when
you
try
to
do
something
which
is
different,
you
are
bound
to
face
difficulties.
In
fact,
many
percentages
of
my
endorsements'
fees,
I
ask
them
to
donate
to
my
foundation
so
it
can
be
stronger.
The
total
is
not
what
someone
has
given
to
us,
a
lot
of
it
is
my
remuneration."
Reacting
to
allegations
of
evading
tax
worth
over
Rs
20
crore,
Sood
called
himself
a
law-abiding
citizen
and
was
quoted
as
saying
by
the
tabloid,
"I
have
given
all
agreements
and
papers
to
the
officials.
We
are
not
supposed
to
talk
about
that
since
the
process
is
still
under
investigation.
But,
whatever
the
officials
needed,
we
have
given
them
all.
And
in
future
too,
whatever
documents
they
need,
I
will
provide.
I
totally
respect
the
system
of
our
country,
I
am
a
law
abiding
citizen
and
I
will
make
sure
anything
that'
required
from
me,
is
provided
even
in
the
middle
of
the
night.
There
were
reports
that
Central
Board
of
Direct
Taxes
had
alleged
that
the
actor
had
violated
the
Foreign
Contribution
Regulation
Act
(FCRA)
while
raising
donations
from
abroad
for
helping
those
affected
by
the
COVID-19
crisis.
Sonu
denied
the
allegations
and
clarified
that
his
foundation
does
not
come
under
FCRA
as
it's
yet
to
complete
three
years.
He
further
said
that
he
didn't
collect
a
single
penny
from
abroad
into
his
foundation.
"Sood
Charity
foundation
does
not
come
under
FCRA
(Foreign
Contribution
Regulation
Act).
It
takes
three
years
for
that.
I
can't
even
get
a
single
penny
from
anywhere
abroad
into
my
foundation;
there
is
not
even
a
single
rupee.
That
fund
is
still
lying
there
with
the
crowdfunding
platform.
Violation
happens
when
fund
comes
to
India,
and
that
hasn't
happened.
So
if
someone
needs
help,
we
get
all
papers
from
the
hospital,
scrutinise
them,
send
it
to
that
platform
and
ask
them
to
send
that
amount.
That
money
goes
directly
from
the
platform
to
the
hospital,
or
education.
Where
is
the
violation?
I
have
not
taken
a
single
penny," the
actor
was
quoted
as
saying
by
Hindustan
Times.
The
I-T
department
had
said
that
Sonu's
charity
foundation
which
was
set
up
last
year
had
collected
donations
of
over
Rs
18
crore,
but
only
Rs
1.9
crore
has
been
spent
on
relief
work.
Sonu
defended
himself
against
these
claims
and
told
the
daily,
"It
was
not
lying
unused;
we
use
it
every
single
day.
The
money
is
transferred
to
hospitals
and
educational
institutes,
and
we
use
it
for
saving
lives.
It
has
been
just
four
to
five
months
we
started
collecting.
If
I
was
using
the
money
the
way
I
am
getting
cases,
it
won't
take
even
18
hours
to
finish
that
money.
(Whenever
we
get
a
case),
we
scrutinise,
and
make
sure
it
goes
to
a
genuine
needy
person."
He
continued,
"A
blind
girl
who
donated
₹15,000
from
the
pension
she
gets,
those
18
crores
have
that
amount,
same
for
what
comes
from
the
piggy
banks
of
kids.
I
had
to
make
sure
every
single
penny
was
used
wisely,
and
goes
to
the
right
person.
Every
foundation
takes
time.
I
have
been
trying
to
make
a
hospital,
and
met
ministers
in
Telangana
and
other
states,
spoke
to
top
hospitals
across
the
country.
My
dreams
are
bigger
so
that
even
if
Sonu
Sood
is
not
there,
we
exist
and
the
help
continues.
People
say
I
haven't
spent
the
money,
but
I
have
not
wasted
it
either."
Further,
it
was
reported
that
the
I-T
department
had
detected
suspicious
transaction
of
Rs
175
crore
between
an
infrastructure
company
and
a
company
partnered
by
Sood.
The
actor
clarified
that
he
has
nothing
to
do
with
their
business
and
denied
knowing
anything
about
them.
"I
have
noting
to
do
with
their
business,
it
is
one
of
the
biggest
infra
companies
in
the
country,
I
don't
know
anything
about
them.
I
have
no
connection,
their
work
is
separate,
and
so
is
mine.
When
you
release
both
statements
as
one,
most
of
the
people
won't
understand," he
told
the
tabloid.
Last
year,
Sonu
Sood
was
in
the
limelight
for
his
philanthropic
work
during
the
COVID-19
pandemic.