Bengaluru: The Income Tax department has filed a final report before the Special Court for Economic Offences, Bengaluru, (SCEO-B) on the raids conducted on water resources and medical education minister, D.K. Shivakumar and sought to prosecute him , four businessmen and other associates for wilful tax evasion.
Sleuths of the I-T department had some months ago raided the residences and offices of Mr Shivakumar and his associates at different places in various cities of the country. The department has in its plea urged the court to try them for offences under section 276 (1), 277 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, and sections 193 and 199 read with 120 B of the IPC and punish them in accordance with law.
Besides the minister, who is accused number 1, the I-T department has sought to prosecute Mr Sachin Narayan , Mr Sunil Kumar Sharma, Mr Anjaneya Hanumanthaiah and Mr Rajendra N. The 20-odd pages report was submitted to the SCEO-B by the department’s lawyer, Jeevan J. Neeralgi, according to official sources.
On receiving it, the SCEO-B issued summons to Mr Shivakumar and the others mentioned to appear before it in person next week, sources said.
The report claimed that Mr Shivakumar had paid Rs 4 crore to buy a flat in Delhi and the department had come across three other flats as well. Unfazed by the minister’s associates retracting their statement on these deals, claiming it was made under duress, the department argued that the retraction made after seven months clearly showed that something was amiss. Mr Shivakumar had in his defence reportedly noted that his associates had retracted their statements and brushed aside the charges.
Contending that the minister’s claims of a political witchhunt did not have any basis, the department said he had been given enough time of over 50 days to respond to the show cause notice and the search and seizure operation had resulted in seizure of substantial undisclosed assets.
The department has already filed a chargesheet against Mr Shivakumar, for stopping government employees from discharging their duties and destroying evidence. He has got bail in that case.
