The letter by the Income Tax (I-T) Department to the state police on the possible raids by the Anti Corruption (ACB) on their officials has kicked up a political row with the opposition calling it “misuse of government machinery.”
A fortnight ago, DGP (I-T intelligence) Balakrishnan had written to DG and IGP R.K. Dutta that the department had information about ACB's plans to raid I-T officials. In the letter, Mr. Balakrishnan claimed that the ACB had no jurisdiction over the I-T department, which comes under the centre. "If the ACB has any information about corruption or irregularities, they should either inform the senior I-T officials or the Central Bureau of Investigation as per procedure," he said in the letter.
However, the state police department, in its reply, has stated that the ACB had no plans to raid I-T officials, nor were there any provisions to conduct such raids. The department has also added that the tip-off received by the I-T department was false.
Meanwhile, Home Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy said that it was the centre that was misusing Enforcement Directorate, I-T department, CBI and other investigating agencies, and not the state government. "The ACB knows its jurisdiction and the state government will not interfere in its functioning," he said.