EC asks Revenue Secy\, CBDT Chairman to explain tax raids on politicians

EC asks Revenue Secy, CBDT Chairman to explain tax raids on politicians

The poll panel has 'strongly advised' the Finance Ministry that any action by its enforcement agencies during election time should be 'neutral' and 'non-discriminatory'

Press Trust of India  |  New Delhi 

Income Tax, tax
Revenue Secretary A B Pandey and CBDT Chairman P C Mody have been called to explain the raids amid allegations by the Congress that the ruling BJP was using enforcement agencies to target it during the poll season

The has called the and chairman, of on Tuesday to discuss ongoing raids.

The EC had on Sunday "strongly advised" the that any action by its enforcement agencies during election time should be "neutral" and "non-discriminatory" and officials of the poll panel should be kept in loop about such actions.

The EC's advice had come against the backdrop of Department's raids in Sunday and in Karnataka, and in the recent past on politicians and people connected to them.

Since the Model Code Conduct came into force on March 10, the has carried out several raids on political leaders and their associates which the opposition has dubbed a misuse of central agencies during poll season.

The Income-Tax Department Monday said it has detected a "widespread and well-organised" racket of collection of unaccounted cash of about Rs 281 crore during raids against close aides of and others.

It said sleuths have recovered Rs 14.6 crore of "unaccounted" cash and seized diaries and computer files of suspect payments made between and

The of (CBDT) said the department has also detected a trail of Rs 20 crore suspect cash allegedly being moved to the "headquarters of a major political party in Delhi" from the house of an important person who lives on Tughlaq Road, home to many VIPs.

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First Published: Tue, April 09 2019. 10:30 IST