I-T issues notice to Congress leader Ahmed Patel

New Delhi: The Income Tax department has issued a notice to senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel in connection with an investigation into purported financial transaction involving his party- Indian National Congress - with respect to which the tax authorities had conducted searches in over four states last year in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Sources in the know have said that Patel was on February 11 issued a notice to appear before tax officials on February 14 under Section 131 of the Income Tax Act, which empowers tax sleuths to conduct inquiries and summon books of accounts.

However, Patel was unable to appear before tax authorities on the above-mentioned date and had written to officials asking for an alternative date to join the investigation. Following this development, the I-T department has issued a fresh summons to him in the case.

The case came to light in April last year, when the tax department had conducted a major search operation with over 300 officials raiding over 52 locations in four states including Madhya Pradesh and had allegedly unearthed an extensive network of hawala operators, claimed officials.

At the time, the I-T department had alleged that part of the hundreds of crores of purported hawala money had been sent to the Congress party's office in Delhi ahead of the polls here in 2019. Patel has been summoned as his role as party treasurer during the time of the alleged transaction is under the scanner of investigative agencies, officials here said.

However, Patel's connection to the case seems to be at a nascent stage with him just being called because of his position as party treasurer. Earlier, the tax sleuths had also raided one party worker SM Moin, who was working as chief accountant in the party office during the concerned period.