Three Poole restaurateurs banned for tax offences

THREE restaurant bosses have been disqualified for a total of 18 years after submitting inaccurate tax returns.

Jalal Ahmed, 50, of Southsea, Satokh Singh Dhanda, 62, and Mohammad Motiur Rahman, 56, both of Southampton, were directors of the Rancho Steak House (Poole) Ltd.

Dhanda’s ban is effective from December 26, 2019, Ahmed’s from January 3, 2020, and Mohammad Rahman’s from January 7.

The trio’s disqualifications mean they cannot, directly or indirectly, be involved in the formation, promotion or management of a company without the prior permission of the court for a period of six years.

The business, formerly of Dolphin Quays, Poole, was incorporated in 2011 and traded as a South American-style restaurant.

Between April 2012 and July 2017, the company filed tax returns totalling over £410,000, making payments of £375,000 against them.

Following various enquiries by the tax authorities, however, it was uncovered that the company had under-declared tax owed by £120,000.

The tax authorities also advised Rancho Steak House that due to the under-declaration, the company had made additional profits and as a result owed more in corporation tax.

The directors also owed outstanding tax on loans they received through the company and had made pay-as-you-earn and national insurance errors.

In 2018, Rancho Steak House entered Creditors Voluntary Liquidation after the tax authorities made a claim worth just over £810,000, triggering further investigations by the Insolvency Service into the conduct of the directors.

Last year, the Secretary of State accepted disqualification undertakings from the three directors for six years each after they did not dispute that they had failed to ensure accurate tax information was sent to HRMC.

Dave Elliott, chief investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “The directors failed to submit accurate information to HMRC resulting in an under-declaration of taxes due. These actions deprive the exchequer of monies needed to provide public services.

“These disqualifications mean that the directors will not be able to run a limited company for six years, and this will help to protect HMRC from future losses.”