Big relief to Himachal CM in his It Case

Vijyender Sharma
SHIMLA-------The High Court of H.P. today stayed an order of the Income Tax Commissioner, Shimla to transfer the cases relating to investigations into the income tax returns of the Chief Minister Sh. Virbhadra Singh and his family members to Chandigarh.

            A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on the petitions filed by Sh. Virbhadra Singh and his family members. Sh. Virbhadra Singh, his wife Smt. Pratibha Singh, son Sh. Vikramaditya Singh, daughter Ms. Aparajita Kumari, one Sh. Anand Chauhan (Caretaker of Sh. Virbhadra Singh's orchards), Sh. Chunni Lal Chauhan (Proprietor of M/s Universal Apples) had challenged the orders of the Income Tax Commissioner to transfer their cases on the ground of conducting coordinated and joint investigation in all cases. They have stated that the coordinated and joint investigation of all cases can be done in Shimla also and there is no need to transfer the cases to Chandigarh as this will only result in harassment to them.

            The Income Tax Commissioner in his orders had said that the agricultural income had dramatically increased in the revised return, which is an apparent attempt to justify the investments made in the purchase of insurance policies and the assesses had close relations and business dealings amongst themselves and Sh. Vakamulla Chandrashekhar and M/s Tarini Infrastructure Limited, which require coordinated and joint investigations in all cases. He had transferred all the cases to Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Circle, Chandigarh saying that centralization of cases will enable department to conduct focused, synchronized and coordinated investigation.

            The Court directed the Income Tax Commissioner to file reply within 4 weeks and posted the matter for September 16.