Income Tax notices to 4 ministers

Bhopal, May 14: Income Tax Department on Wednesday issued notices to four ministers of Shivraj government for failure to file return of their income. The Department has also issued notice of penalty to these Ministers for failure to furnish returns.

Kusum Singh Mahdele, Woman and Child Development Minister, Ramakant Tiwari, Animal Husbandry Minister, Kamal Patel, Revenue Minister and Karan Singh Verma, Minister of State for Rural, Industries, Horticulture and Food Processing (Independent Charge) were reportedly served notices under section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The Ministers were also served notice of penalty of Rs 5,000 for failure to furnish return under section 271 (F) of the Act.

It was learnt that the Ministers in question have allegedly not filed the tax return since they have been inducted. Sources informed that the Ministers have been asked to file the return within 30 days following which the Department would scrutinize the documents. The Department may also levy interest @ 0.50 per cent. Sources informed that High Court in the past had directed the Department to issue notice to the Revenue Minister. The IT Department had served notice to the Union Minister Arjun Singh in the 80s in similar manner. Remarkably, under section 139 (1) of the Act, every person who falls under the ambit of taxable income as defined by the Act has to furnish a return of his income annually in prescribed format.