Shafique Uddin, also known as Sofiq Uddin, was the director of Kazitula Limited. The company traded as Shafiques, a restaurant and takeaway on Goring Road in Worthing, West Sussex.
The company behind the restaurant, however, went into liquidation in April 2017, but Kazitula Limited’s insolvency triggered an investigation by the Insolvency Service.
Investigators uncovered that for nearly seven years between April 2010 and January 2017, Mr Uddin caused Kazitula Limited to file inaccurate tax returns.
This meant the restaurant underdeclared and underpaid taxes in the region of £320,000.
On 14 October 2022 in the High Court of Justice, Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Mullen made an eight-year disqualification order against Mr Uddin.
When making the order, Judge Mullen said that “Mr Uddin caused the company to file inaccurate tax returns over nearly seven years. It is impossible to avoid the conclusion that this was for personal gain. No other reason for concealing sales is offered.”
Effective from 4 November 2022, Mr Uddin is banned for eight years from directly, or indirectly, becoming involved in the promotion, formation, or management of a company, without the permission of the court.
Lawrence Zussman, deputy head of company investigations at the Insolvency Service, said considering that the suppression of the restaurant’s takings took place over seven years, it is clear that Mr Uddin knowingly caused the company to renege on the taxes it owed.
“Much of the public service is funded by the correct amount of taxes being paid and that’s what makes Shafique Uddin’s misconduct all the more serious,” he said.
The court recognised the severity of his actions and removed Mr Uddin from the corporate environment for a substantial amount of time.
