IT raids Gahlot for ‘tax evasion’, AAP cries foul
UNDER LENS Aam Aadmi Party says Centre trying to ‘intimidate its ministers as part of its political vendetta’; chief minister Arvind Kejriwal demands apology from central government
NEWDELHI: The income tax department on Wednesday conducted searches on multiple premises linked to Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot in connection with a tax evasion case, drawing sharp reactions from the Aam Aadmi Party that said the Centre was trying to “intimidate” its ministers and lawmakers as part of its political vendetta.
Income tax officials said at least 16 locations in the national Capital and Gurugram were raided by a team of over 60 sleuths and police officials.
In Delhi, raids were conducted in residential areas such as Vasant Kunj and Defence Colony and offices and residences in Paschim Vihar, Najafgarh and Laxmi Nagar.
In Gurugram, a premises was raided in Palam Vihar, the officials said.
The officials told PTI that searches were being conducted as part of a tax evasion probe against two firms -- Brisk Infrastructure and Developers Pvt Ltd and Corporate International Financial Services Limited — that are operated and owned by the family members of Gahlot.
Hours after the raids were initiated, Delhi chief minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to slam the BJPled Central government. “Friendship with Nirav Modi and (Vijay) Mallya and raid on us? Modiji you conducted raids on me, Satyendar (Jain) and Manish (Sisodia). What happened to those (raids)? Nothing was found. CBI raids CM Arvind Kejriwal office. CM blames Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 17, 2015 CBI raids residence of deputy CM Manish Sisodia on June 16, 2017
The Income Tax Department conducts searches on the premises of AAP MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar on charges of alleged tax evasion on
July 27, 2016
CBI raids PWD minister Satyendar Jain’s residence many times. Latest raid was on May 30, 2018.
So before you go carry out another raid at least apologise to the people of Delhi for troubling their elected government,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
Besides the transport portfolio, the Najafgarh MLA is also in charge of several other departments, including law and administrative reforms, in the Kejriwal government.
The party’s national spokesperson, Atishi, alleged that Gahlot was being specifically targeted by the Centre because he is implementing Delhi’s government’s key programmes and leading the party’s legal battle in the office-of-profit case against 20 AAP MLAS.
“The Delhi government’s doorstep delivery of services is a revolutionary scheme. Administrative reforms department headed by Kailash Gahlot faced roadblocks from L-G, Centre and bureaucrats in implementing the scheme. But we implemented it. Gahlotji is also putting up a brave legal battle in the parliamentary secretaries (office-of-the-profit) case. This is why he was targeted by I-T officials sent by Modiji and Amit Shah,” Atishi told reporters at party office.
This is not the first time that an AAP minister has faced a raid by a central agency. CM Arvind Kejriwal, deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, and PWD minister, Satyendar Jain have also faced raids in the past.
“They can send Delhi Police, CBI, I-T or ED after us but we will not stop working for the people of Delhi who gave us the mandate in 2015,” Atishi said.
While Brisk Infrastructure and Developers Pvt Ltd is engaged in the real estate sector, Corporate International Financial Services Limited is a NonBanking Financial Company (NBFC).
According to I-T officials, multiple transactions and alleged under-reporting of profits has led the department to launch a tax evasion probe against the promoters of the two firms and their operations, PTI reported.
Atishi said the raids were just a means to intimidate the party and the cases against Gahlot will not stand the scrutiny of law. “We have seen it before as well. But we are sure, like in the past, these cases will also fall apart. This is just a means to intimidate our party because they (BJP) cannot see our government taking up public welfare steps,” she said.