KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — The federal police’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department today confirmed that it has initiated an investigation after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak lodged a police report against the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

On September 9, Najib accused IRB officers of colluding with unnamed politicians in its lawsuit to claim RM1.7 billion in tax arrears and bankrupt him.

In a statement this afternoon, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said all parties involved will be called in to have their statements recorded soon.

"The investigation is being carried out under Section 468 of the Penal Code. We will call up the parties involved to record their statements,” he said.

Section 468 of the Penal Code relates to forgery and carries a maximum jail term of seven years and a fine.

Najib had in a Facebook posting on September 9 claimed that some of the agency’s officers have confessed directly to him that they had tried thrice to launch the case against him since 2018 but had not been able to do so due to lack of evidence.

He said even after that, senior IRB officers were allegedly directed by politicians to have him assessed with the tax penalties.

Najib claimed this interference was evident from the facts of his case, such as the decision to assess taxes on RM2.6 billion that he returned after it entered his account, and the move to treat inter-account transfers as income.

The former prime minister further alleged that the strongest evidence was the rapid move to have him declared bankrupt, which would disqualify him as an elected lawmaker.

On July 22, 2020, High Court judge Datuk Ahmad Bache granted a summary judgment for Najib to pay RM1.69 billion as claimed by the IRB for the years 2011 to 2017 for additional income tax assessment and penalties for not paying the additional assessment.

On February 4, the government through the IRB filed a bankruptcy notice against Najib as a debtor, for failing to pay income tax amounting to RM1.69 billion as ruled by the High Court.

Najib has filed challenges against both matters.