‘Politically motivated’: Kamal Nath on income tax raids on close aides

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Monday said that searches by the I-T department have detected “widespread and well-organized racket” of collection of unaccounted cash of about ₹281 crore through persons involved in business.

Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Tuesday alleged that the Income Tax department raids against several of his close aides were politically motivated. Those raided were CM’s nephew Ratul Puri, officer on special duty (OSD) to Nath, Praveen Kakkar and a close associate RK Miglani.

Kamal Nath’s nephew Ratul Puri, officer on special duty (OSD) to Nath, Praveen Kakkar and a close associate RK Miglani were raided by Income Tax department. (PTI)

“They (raids) are politically motivated. They won’t be successful,” Kamal Nath was quoted as saying by ANI in Chhindwara. Nath filed his nomination papers for Chhindwara assembly seat by-poll while his son Nakul filed nomination papers for Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat.

At a poll rally on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the opposition over the I-T raids. “They have been saying ‘chowkidar chor hai’ for six months but see where bundles of note are being recovered from,” Modi said at a rally in Maharashtra.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Monday said that searches by the I-T department have detected “widespread and well-organized racket” of collection of unaccounted cash of about ₹281 crore through persons involved in business. “A part of the cash was also transferred to the headquarter of a major political party in Delhi including about ₹20 cr [crore] which was moved through hawala recently to the headquarter of the political party from the residence of a senior functionary at Tughlak Road, New Delhi,” CBDT said in a statement.

The Election Commission in its letter to Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey had on April 7 “strongly advised” the department that any action by its enforcement agencies during the election time should be “neutral” and “non-discriminatory” and officials of the poll panel should be kept in the loop about such actions.

News agency PTI reported that the finance ministry has told the Election Commission that enforcement actions by its revenue department are always “neutral”, “impartial” and “non-discriminatory” irrespective of political affiliation.

Replying to a letter from the Election Commission, the Revenue Department asked the poll panel to share “specific information” with the I-T department about illicit money in the electoral process.

“We understand the words ‘neutral’, ‘impartial’ and ‘non-discriminatory’ mean that we must act as and when information is available against anyone, irrespective of political affiliation. This is precisely the practice that the department follows and will continue to do so,” revenue secretary Pandey wrote to the poll panel, PTI reported.