The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) has submitted a report to the Income Tax department with a demand to check in detail Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader K.M. Shaji’s sources of income. The action comes in the wake of Mr. Shaji’s move to recover the previously seized amount of ₹47.65 lakh after remitting the applicable tax.
The VACB report said the source of the seized amount was not shown anywhere by the accused to comply with the income tax rules. The report was submitted considering it as illegal accumulation of wealth.
Ahead of the submission of the report, the VACB had also objected to Mr. Shaji’s move to approach the Vigilance court seeking the release of the money seized from his house. According to the investigation team, this was meant to weaken the ongoing probe.
The amount was recovered from Mr. Shaji’s house in Kannur on April 12, 2021 subsequent to an inquiry against him in a disproportionate assets case.
According to the VACB report, there were discrepancies in the expenses Mr. Shaji had declared in the election nomination papers and the amount he spent between 2011 and 2020. A 166% increase in Mr. Shaji’s income in contrast to the details he furnished in the affidavit was the main reason for the VACB to proceed with the case.
Mr. Shaji’s claim was that the case registered against him was the result of political vendetta and to finish off his political career. He had also claimed that the seized amount was pooled from party workers for meeting election-related expenses and there was documentary evidence for the same.
