JOIN USI-T department sends notice to Atishi, 18 others
AAP MLA Atishi has been issued a tax notice as there is allegedly a mismatch between the assets and liabilities furnished by her in the 2020 election affidavit and what was declared in her I-T returns filed over the last few years, official sources said on Thursday.
Rejecting the charge that she has been singled out, the sources said that a total of 19 candidates, including Atishi and three other women, have been sent these verification notices. Those who have been sent these notices also include people from the BJP, they said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi had told the media on Wednesday that she was issued an Income Tax (I-T) notice and claimed that the action was taken to "scare and intimidate" her.
The official sources said the issuance of notices action is part of a procedure followed by the tax department for the verification of election affidavits filed by candidates before the Election Commission (EC).
Out of a total 666 affidavits, 19 were selected for verification and the entire process has been undertaken by adhering to a standard operating procedure' (SOP) that was finalised in consultation with the EC, they said.
The sources said the assets and liabilities disclosed by the AAP MLA in her 2020 election affidavit allegedly do not match with the "income profile" furnished by her in the income tax returns (ITRs) filed over the last about 10 years time period.
They said that the details given in her ITRs are reportedly lesser than what has been furnished in the poll affidavit.
The verification process is being conducted on the basis of facts and official figures. Hence, additional information and clarifications have been sought from the 19 candidates and those of their family members who are categorised as politically exposed persons, the sources said.
The ruling AAP in Delhi had called the tax notice "ridiculous" saying it exposes the "sexist and chauvinist" face of the BJP.
"I want to tell the Modi government -- we are not afraid of your threats! The Modi government has used every agency to harass AAP leaders but could not sustain a single case against the AAP. The income tax notice was sent to scare, intimidate us," Atishi had told a press conference.
"I don't have anything to hide. Wherever the Income Tax Department calls me, I will go with all the details of my bank accounts. I want to challenge the BJP if they are ready to make their bank accounts and property details public," she had said.
A party leader had said that the notice is based on the 2020 election affidavit of Atishi in which she had declared Rs 59 lakh worth movable assets in the form of FD and mutual funds, which she had said were earned before 2012.