Mega Maldives owes MVR 13m to MIRA, does not have sufficient funds in accounts

The Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) has said that Mega Maldives owes over MVR 13 million to MIRA as withholding tax, and that the airline did not have any money in its accounts when its accounts were frozen today.

Director General of MIRA Fathulla Jameel said tonight that by the end of June 2012, Mega Maldives owed MVR 13 million as withholding tax, and over MVR 1 million as fines following failure to pay this tax and submit tax statements.

“We believe that they will pay the money they owe, and submit the statements. There was no money when we checked their accounts after they failed to make the payments. The amount in their accounts was not even close to the amount they owe,” he said.

He said that the airline had $10,000 and MVR 9,000 in their accounts when the accounts were checked prior to being frozen.

“We still haven’t been able to freeze all accounts. But we have requested that all accounts be frozen. Money can be deposited even after the accounts are frozen,” he said.

He said that MIRA freezing the airline’s accounts has nothing to do with Airports Company suspending services provided to Mega Maldives’ aircrafts.

A flight scheduled to depart to China at 17:10 was grounded today due to failure by the airline to pay about $1 million to MACL.