MUMBAI/NAGPUR: The income-tax department on Monday intercepted former NCP member of the legislative council Sandeep Bajoria at the Mumbai airport and seized Rs 40 lakh from him after he failed to explain the source of the money. He was allowed to go after his statement was recorded. The department will now conduct further investigations into the matter.
Bajoria had flown into Mumbai from Nagpur around 12 noon on board IndiGo flight 6E 6936. “When he underwent pre-embarkation security at the Nagpur airport, the CISF personnel posted at the X-ray screening machine noticed a large amount of cash stuffed in the bag,” said a senior CISF official.
“We don’t have the authority to detain a passenger for carrying cash because cash doesn’t pose a risk to flight safety. But we inform the authorities concerned at the destination station,” the official said.
The Nagpur Aviation Security Group (CISF team) informed the Mumbai CISF control room and income-tax officials that Bajoria had Rs25 lakh in cash in his handbag.
Bajoria told TOI that he was carrying the money to buy a flat in Worli. “I was negotiating a deal for a flat in Shubhada Towers and was carrying the money to make the initial payment in case the deal worked out. The cash was withdrawn from a bank for which I have the proof. I also have all the relevant papers and have handed over everything to the investigating agency in Mumbai,” he said.
“The income-tax authorities wanted to ascertain if my source of income matched the assets for which they are conducting surveys on M/s Bajoria Construction,” he said.
Bajoria is among the private contractors booked by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) which is probing contracts granted for irrigation works in Vidarbha. He was a director in M/s Bajoria Construction which has been named in a case related to a contract awarded for a dam in the Amravati division. Bajoria quit the firm after becoming an MLC and the business is now run by his brother, he told TOI.
The official said, “When the flight landed, the income-tax officials and CISF officials were in place to stop the passenger.”
A senior I-T official stated that he was intercepted on specific information. “His explanation was incorrect and prima facie we found the source of the money was not credible. We seized the money under provisions of the Income Tax Act and will carry out further investigation,” an official said.
Income-tax officials carried out a survey in his office in Yavatmal. A survey is limited to the business premises and cash is not seized. Seizures only take place during searches, according to a chartered accountant.
Officials said that after investigation, the department will ask him to pay tax on the unaccounted income and may also impose a penalty. “In case it is part of any benami transaction, we will invoke relevant sections of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amended Act,” they said.
Representative image