Kerala - Kochi   

Probe on into alleged tax evasion by political leaders

Staff Reporter

High Courtround-up

Kochi: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court was informed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes that Income Tax department was conducting inquiries into the allegations that certain political leaders including CPI (M) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had committed tax evasion.

In an affidavit, the Income Tax department said the allegations raised by the petitioner were "not of any specific income tax evasion but were only of a generic nature."

The income tax department was taking much pain and effort to conduct inquiry in every matter as far as possible. The department also said that other allegations such as violation of service rules, foreign exchange violation, causing loss to the KSEB were outside the purview of the department. At present, there were no circumstances warranting issue of a writ to compel performance of the statutory duties of the department. The affidavit was filed thorough Assistant Solicitor General of India John Varghese in response to a writ petition filed by T.P. Nandakumar, editor of Crime.

DNA test ordered

Justice Siri Jagan has directed the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology to conduct DNA test on a Fijian woman Ellis Barbara, Jose and Thressiyakutty to ascertain the kinship between the Fijian national and the two Keralites.

In her petition, Ms. Barbara said that her father belonged to the State. Her father, Joseph, had left for Fiji around 93 years ago, married a Fijian woman and settled there. She said that she along with her husband had landed in the State to trace her family roots. The counsel for the petitioner submitted that their search had zoomed on to Jose and Thressiyakutty who were supposed to be the son and daughter of Joseph's brother and sister respectively. Though the petitioner had approached the centre, her request to conduct the test was turned down. Hence, the writ petition .

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