Capt cites UK, Delhi trips, gets more time to appear in tax case

LUDHIANA: Allowing an application by chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh seeking exemption from personal appearance in a case of the income tax department, the court of chief judicial magistrate Japinder Singh here directed him to appear on November 3, the next date of hearing. In his plea, the CM had stated that he was not aware of the summons having been issued as he was not in Chandigarh.

He also cited that he had to be in Delhi for a meeting on the contentious issued of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Delhi, and to meet Congress president Son ia Gandhi for selection of candidate for theGu rd a spur by poll.

Representing Amarinder, advocates Gurmukh Singh and J SB edi moved the application in court seeking his exemption from personal appearance in court. It was stated that the CM was out of India when the summons were received at his official residence. “Hence the applicant was not personally aware of the summons ,” stated the application.

The application also stated that the CM was presently in New Delhi for official matters. He will also be meeting officials in the Union water resource ministry in connection with the SYL canal matter which is of prime importance for the state of Punjab, it said. The complaint case has been filed against the Punjab CM by the Income Tax department in 2016. HTC