I-T probes income discrepancies in affidavits filed by MPs, MLAs

Election Commission. Sources said the I-T department has asked some politicians (most of whom are MLAs), who prima facie have “hidden” information, to submit their recent income tax returns as well as of their dependents whose names they have mentioned in affidavits filed with the EC.

As per a recent information shared by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to the Supreme Court, while submitting an affidavit in response to a petition filed by an NGO, the CBDT had stated in September that it was investigating the assets of seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs across the country after it found discrepancies regarding what they had declared in their election affidavits and what they actuAally owned. The NGO had earlier submitted a list of 26 Lok Sabha MPs, 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 MLAs to the tax department seeking verification of their election affidavits, while alleging substantial increases in their assets compared to asset details given by them in previous election affidavits. Officials said that the CBDT has been coordinating with the Election Commission of India for the verification of affidavits filed by candidates of parties as part of efforts to curb black money for the past six-seven years. “In 2012, the exercise had gained some speed due to the whole antiblack money ‘movement’ that was going on, but after that nothing happened. The exercise has been started again,” a source familiar with the development said.