Former takeaway boss didn’t pay tax for five years
Nine-year ban for Paisley businessman
The former boss of a Paisley takeaway has been banned from owning or directing a company after failing to pay tax for five years.
Kulwant Singh Lally, who previously ran the Raja Tandoori Ltd on Old Sneddon Street, has been disqualified from being a company director for nine years.
The 58-year-old received the punishment after failing to pay tax on the business between February 2013 and September 2018.
The discrepancy in tax payments was picked up by HMRC in July 2018 when it slapped the business with a backdated tax bill and a fine totalling £134,000.
When Raja Tandoori Ltd failed to repay the money owed by September of that year, the authorities petitioned the court to have the company wound up and its assets sold in order to recoup the cash.
The compulsory liquidation brought Raja Tandoori Ltd to the attention of the Insolvency Service, who conducted investigations into Mr Lally’s conduct.
Mr Lally told authorities he had launched Raja Tandoori Ltd in 2010 to protect the trading name.
But the businessman - who was formally recorded as the director for Raja Tandoori Ltd at Companies House - was found to be operating the company as a takeaway in Paisley for five years without ever paying tax.
Last month the Paisley man finally admitted concealing tax to the detriment of the tax authorities.
The Secretary of State accepted a disqualification undertaking for Mr Lally, which means he is banned for nine years from acting as a director or directly or indirectly becoming involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.
The ban is effective from Tuesday, July 10.
Rob Clarke, c h i e f inv e s t i gator for the Insolvency Service, said: “Company directors have a legal responsibility to ensure their companies pay the correct amount of tax but Kulwant Lally clearly failed to do this for as long as the takeaway was trading.
“Ni n e years is a substantial ban, removing Kulwant Lally from the corporate arena, and should serve as a stark warning to those directors who think can renege themselves of their duties.”
Mr Lally was also listed as a former director for two other business registered with companies House, Blue 365 Ltd and Foodworld Paisley Ltd, which are both recorded as being dissolved.
The Paisley Daily Express was unable to contact Mr Lally at the time of going to press.