Alleging the CBDT of working at the behest of the ruling party, Election Commission has called Revenue Secretary A B Pandey and CBDT Chairman PC Mody to discuss the revelations of the raids conducted by the CBDT earlier in the week at the premises of the Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath’s associates. The Congress has alleged that BJP is using the Enforcement Agencies to target the opposition with raids in the due course of the ongoing Election season.
The two authorities from the CBDT and IT Department have been called by the Election Commission to explain the raids as alleged by the Congress.
After the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect on March 10, several raids have been carried out by the Income Tax department and the enforcement agencies in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Delhi which has been criticized by the opposition alleging the ruling party behind the move.
Ahead of the 2019 elections, EC had advised the Finance Ministry that any action by the enforcement agencies should be “neutral” and “non-discriminatory” during the course of elections. The officials of the poll panels should be informed about every investigation and the actions.
The Income Tax Department said on Monday that it has detected a “widespread and well-organized” racket of a collection of unaccounted cash from the premises of the senior politicians and their associates. The cash amounts to a total of RS 281 crores. Out of this unaccounted cash, there have been seized diaries, liquor, armaments, and unaccounted properties in the posh locations of Delhi. The CBDT detected an alleged transfer of RS 20 crores to the headquarters of a very important person from the house of a politician who lives n the Tughlaq road that is home to many VIPs.
In the past when similar raids were conducted in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, the opposition accused the ruling party of using the enforcement agencies for its poll purpose.
ALSO READ
- CBDT reveals “widespread and well organized” racket collection of ₹281 crores ahead of Lok Sabha Polls
- IT department conducts raids against Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath’s associates ahead of Lok Sabha Polls
- Naidu-led TDP leaders to sit on the protest against IT raids in Andhra Pradesh