There are claims that 49-year old Chappell, a former racing driver who has been declared bankrupt three times, was arrested during a dawn raid on November 2 in which HMRC seized files and computers from his home. He has subsequently been released.

In a statement, HMRC said: ‘We do not comment on identifiable cases, but can confirm we have arrested a 49-year-old businessman.’

HMRC’s claim is against Chappell’s company, Swiss Rock, which is said to owe 365,000 in VAT and £196,306 in corporation tax. The company is in liquidation.

Chappell is also facing a high court case this week involving Retail Acquisitions Ltd (RAL), the company he set up to acquire BHS from Sir Philip Green, which is being challenged over a loan it took from the retailer.

BHS’s administrators, Duff & Phelps has found that RAL had an 8.4m loan from BHS. Chappell has said that £2.4m of the loan had been repaid as part of his management services, but it is unclear where the remaining £6m is held.

Chappell has missed the repayment on his loan, and the BHS administrators are believed to be seeking to have RAL placed into administration.

Chappell has contested the application, and has been given 14 days to gather evidence. He has made no comment on this case, nor on the alleged HMRC arrest.

BHS went into administration in April, with the loss of 11,000 jobs and a pension deficit of £571m which has been the subject of lengthy wrangling between former owner Green and The Pensions Regulator.

The Insolvency Service and the Serious Fraud Office have launched formal inquiries into the BHS collapse.