Pawar gets I-T notice over poll affidavits; terms it ‘love letter’
The Income Tax department has sent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar a notice in connection with the poll affidavits he filed in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2020 -- a document the former chief minister described as a “love letter” and said it showed the qualitative difference with which central agencies act against leaders of opposition parties and those in the government.
The Income Tax notice follows summons sent to him by the Enforcement Directorate in 2019, ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections.
Addressing the media in Pune following the swearing in of Eknath Shinde as Maharashtra’s new chief minister, Pawar dwelt at some length on the role of central agencies in harassing the government’s political
opponents. “Five years ago,” he said, “not many had heard about the central agency but today even in the rural areas they know all about the ED.”
“It is being used against those who have a different (dissenting) view. The help of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and central agencies is being used nowadays and the results are visible. Many members of the legislative assembly say they have received notices of inquiry. We didn’t even know the name ED five years ago. Today, even in the villages people jokingly say that you will have ED come after you,” Pawar said.
“Luckily I have all the information they need in the order,” he added, without going into the details of the notice.
The Income Tax department does not usually comment on notices sent to taxpayers until investigation is complete.
“Tax notices are issued based on discrepancies in various data filed by the assesses. They are detected automatically if various data do not match. The Income Tax Department sends notices in such cases to ascertain correct details. This is the procedure for all assesses irrespective of his or her status. Specific details related to any particular case is handled by appropriate authority and law is equal for everyone,” a government official familiar with the matter said, requesting anonymity.