The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : JD(U) seeks Income Tax probe against wealthy candidates

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Saturday, May 10, 2008
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Karnataka

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JD(U) seeks Income Tax probe against wealthy candidates

Special Correspondent

‘People who were nobody not a long time ago are now worth crores’

People should know how candidates earned crores after joining politics: Reddy
Poll panel urged to stop distribution of gifts by parties

BANGALORE: The Janata Dal (United) here on Friday urged the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax to conduct an inquiry into the source of income of candidates who have declared that they owned assets worth crores of rupees.

The Janata Dal (U) State general secretary G.K.C. Reddy told presspersons that several candidates had not provided accurate details of their assets and also the source of their income in the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission.

Suo motu probe

Therefore, the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax should order a suo motu inquiry and take legal action if there were any lapses, Mr. Reddy said.

It had come to light that several people had acquired properties worth crores of rupees after entering politics. “A candidate, who did not even have three pairs of trousers a few years ago, has declared that he and his wife own assets worth Rs. 40 crore,” Mr. Reddy said.

However, he did not name the candidate.

The people of Karnataka had the right to know how these persons earned crores of rupees after joining politics, he said while making out a case for a Income Tax department inquiry.

Charge

Mr. Reddy alleged that the police were not taking action against Congress candidates and their supporters who were indulging in large-scale electoral malpractices.

As the State was under President’s rule, the police were lenient towards Congress supporters who were distributing money, saris, liquor and other articles to voters. The JD (U) would lodge a complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner on the “biased” attitude of the police, he said.

Congratulating the Election Commission for the steps it had initiated for free and fair polls, the JD (U) leader said the commission should take strong steps to prevent the Congress and BJP from distributing gifts to voters. The commission should disqualify those candidates against whom complaints of malpractice had been registered, he said.

Mr. Reddy said the JD (U) had been receiving good response from the public in 25 of the 89 constituencies going to the polls in the first phase. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other leaders of the party would campaign in constituencies which would go to the polls in the second and third phases, he added.

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