New Delhi:

The Congress’ claims of “tax terrorism” based mostly on recent notices from the Revenue Tax division have been strongly countered by sources within the authorities company, who’ve identified that incriminating materials had been seized and the evaluation proceedings are happening now as a result of they might have been time-barred on March 31 this 12 months.

The sources stated the Congress knew in regards to the proceedings and had been given sufficient time to answer, together with throughout the hearings within the Delhi Excessive Court docket, which had denied the social gathering reduction. 

The Congress, which had earlier claimed its financial institution accounts had been frozen after the Revenue Tax authorities had imposed a penalty of Rs 200 crore, had stated on Friday that it had acquired a brand new tax discover from the division to the tune of Rs 1,800 crore.

The recent discover was for the evaluation years 2017-18 to 2020-21 (monetary years 2016-17 to 2019-20) and included penalty and curiosity. 

Officers stated earnings tax searches in April 2019 had revealed money receipts by the Congress from Megha Engineering – which has emerged because the second-largest donor within the electoral bonds scheme -and others. This, they claimed, was found throughout raids on associates of Congress chief and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath. 

The full receipts in money between 2013-14 to April 2019 have been to the extent of Rs 626 crore, the officers claimed, and included proceedings of an alleged corruption rip-off. 

“These money receipts have been established and corroborated in a number of methods, together with paperwork discovered throughout searches, WhatsApp messages and recorded statements,” an official stated.

Below Part 13A of the Revenue Tax Act, cash acquired by a political social gathering is exempt if sure circumstances are met, together with not accepting quantities over greater than Rs. 2,000. Because the Congress violated these circumstances, it grew to become liable to pay tax on its whole earnings, the officers stated. 

“The rationale that the Congress has been in a position to get a keep is that the Revenue Tax division has produced in courts detailed, corroborated proof that’s on file. If the Congress social gathering thinks it’s harmless, it ought to launch your entire evaluation order to the general public and the reality shall be revealed,” stated a supply. 

The Delhi Excessive Court docket had, on Thursday, dismissed 4 petitions filed by the Congress towards earnings tax reassessment proceedings being initiated towards it for the 2017-18 to 2020-21 evaluation years. 

‘Being Focused’

On Saturday, the Congress stated its leaders had bought two extra tax notices, aside from the Rs 1,800-crore demand discover. Youth Congress staff additionally held protests in Delhi towards what the social gathering has known as the BJP-led Central authorities’s “tax terrorism”. 

“The Congress is being focused and we’re getting repeated notices. We bought two extra notices on Friday night time. We had bought 4 notices once we held the press convention yesterday and bought two extra later. I do not know what number of extra shall be despatched,” senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh stated on Saturday.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar stated the notices are proof that the BJP is “afraid” of the Congress and the INDIA alliance. “The BJP has understood they are going to lose the elections, so they’re attempting to create all forms of concern. I additionally bought an Revenue Tax discover final night time a few settled matter,” he claimed.