Criminal case against Dnipropetrovsk-based enterprise dropped for absence of a crime

Subject of Complaint: Investigative Department of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast National Police
Complaint in brief: On October 27, 2017, the BOC received a complaint from a seed exporting company that the Council had previously helped with a VAT refund. This time, the company complained about the actions of the National Police in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. According to the Complainant, a baseless criminal case had been launched against the firm.
After the company received its UAH 2mn VAT refund, the National Police in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast began an investigation against the Complainant. The firm’s management was accused of attempting to illegally refund VAT from the State Budget. Such crimes are severe punished in the law: prison for up to eight years.
Disagreeing with the criminal proceeding yet unable to challenge it, the Complainant turned for help to the BOC.
Actions taken: Having examined the circumstances of the case, the BOC investigator sent letters to the Dnipro district tax inspectorate and the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast police. He asked for the grounds for opening a criminal case against the Complainant and to inform the BOC what actions had already been taken.
Result achieved: A month later, the Council contacted the Dnipropetrovsk National Police once more and was informed that the police planned to drop the criminal case against the Complainant for absence of a crime. On February 6, the criminal case was closed.