Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Chhatarpur, Kartar Singh’s farmhouse was raided by Income Tax department officials on Wednesday morning on charges of alleged tax evasion.
The I-T sleuths said the searches were carried out on at least three premises of Mr. Singh in the city.
The officials said that the department had received “actionable inputs” with regard to the MLA’s transactions and hence the operation was launched. Over 40 I-T and police officials took part in the operations.
Furious AAP leaders attacked the Centre for using their machinery: the Delhi Police, the CBI, the ACB and now I-T, against their MLAs and party leaders.
The party termed the development as “political vendetta” by the Centre against AAP MLAs.
Lockdown
Reacting to the development, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisoida tweeted, “Modi ji you deploy, the CBI, Delhi Police, IB, ED and Income Tax, but we will keep on with our work”.
While raiding the premises, the I-T sleuths locked down everyone present at Mr. Singh’s farmhouse, sources said.
Senior AAP leader Ashutosh said that Mr Singh’s residence was gheraoed as if he was a terrorist.
He also accused the Delhi Police of “misbehaving” with the family of the MLA.
“Instead of being concerned about women safety in the city, the Modi-government has concentrated all efforts of the Delhi Police, the ACB, the CBI and now the I-T department toward targeting AAP MLAs. Delhi’s law and order comes under the Central government, but Mr. Modi is not interested in providing security and law and order to the people of Delhi,” he said.
List grows longer
On Sunday, two MLAs of the AAP were arrested and on Tuesday, different FIRs against Janakpuri MLA Rajesh Rishi; Arvind Kejriwal-appointed Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal and AAP youth wing chief Aman Dabas, were registered. Eleven AAP MLAs have been to jail in the 18 months that the party has been in power in Delhi.
AAP’s Delhi unit convenor Dilip Pandey tweeted: “Modiji had unleashed CBI, ACB, DP earlier, now IT too. AAP won’t bow down, won’t bend.”
Referring to the raid, another party leader Sanjay Singh said AAP legislators were being targeted by the Modi-government on a daily basis. “AAP MLA Kartar’s number came today (Wednesday) morning, let’s see who is targeted till evening,” Mr Singh said.
“Are so many consistent attacks on AAP justified? Are all the criminals of the country in the AAP?” Singh asked.
Party leaders furious, say Centre using CBI, ACB, Delhi Police and now I-T against members of the AAP
