Guwahati: The Income Tax department has seized Rs 1 crore in cash, Rs 2 crore in gold and some silver in Assam following guidelines issued by the Election Commission to crackdown on unaccounted cash in the run up to the polls in the state.
The department also received information of cash being carried by air which was forwarded to other directorates outside the region leading to seizure of Rs 50 lakh in cash, Director of Income Tax (Investigation), North East Region TM Das told PTI.
The department has also started the process of scrutinising the affidavits filed by candidates declaring assets and verifying these with information already available with the department for reporting to the Election Commission along with details of any suppression or information about assets and liabilities or pending dues, he said.
The department is further preparing a report about those political parties which are taking donations and enjoying tax exemptions without auditing their accounts or without filing statutory returns.
Financial authorities, banks and financial institutions have also been requested by the Election Commission to report any suspicious withdrawal of large amounts of cash from any bank account of any individual and such activities are being actively monitored by the Income Tax department, Das pointed out.
The investigation directorate of the department was also keeping a close vigil over all airports in the state, major railway stations, hotels, farm houses, hawala agents, financial brokers, cash couriers, pawn brokers and other suspicious agencies or persons used for movement of undisclosed cash, Das said.
It is also keeping close surveillance over ostentatious expenditure including movement of undisclosed cash and other goods and has arranged placement of resources and manpower in all districts of the state.
Das said each district in the state was being monitored by officials of the department and these officers are maintaining surveillance and maintaining close liaison with officials of the civil administration and other agencies like the BSF, SSB, Enforcement Directorate, Intelligence Bureau.
The department has already opened a 24x7 toll free call centre and the control room would receive any complaints of unexplained movement of cash and other articles and to keep a close surveillance on ostentatious expenditure, Das said.
He further said the steps taken by the department was significant in the context of various reports and allegations regarding paid news and use of undisclosed or unexplained cash and other articles distributed during elections to lure voters.
Comments
0 comment