Plea from Chidambaram kin against impending I-T prosecution rejected

CHENNAI: Madras High Court has declined to restrain the Income Tax Department from sanctioning any prosecution against the family members of former Union Minister P Chidambaram under the Black Money Act.

Three separate petitions were filed by Nalini, a senior advocate and wife of Chidambaram, her son Karti and daughter-in-law Srinidhi for a directive to the Deputy Director of Income Tax (Investigation) to prohibit the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax in Chennai from sanctioning any prosecution under the Black Money Act and yet another petition from Karti was filed to pass orders pursuant to the notices issued on various dates under the Act and the replies furnished by him on various dates.

Justice T S Sivagnanam, before whom the petitions came up for hearing on Thursday, refused to accede to the prayers. Instead, he directed the Income Tax Department to pass orders in accordance with the provisions of Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax 2015 (Act 22 of 2015) within the time stipulated under the Act.

The judge said the petitioners are entitled to canvas all factual and legal contentions before the Income Tax authorities in the procedures initiated pursuant to the notices issued under Sections 10(1) and 8(1) of the Act.

The department issued notices to the three seeking details of the documents in respect of the property at Cambridge in the UK and with regard to certain investments in Nano Holdings, LLC-USA, on various dates.