Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Satish Misra said the clean chit by the tribunal was given to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati "purely on merit".
LUCKNOW: Terming the centre's appeal against the Income Tax appellate tribunal's order favouring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati as 'politically motivated', Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Satish Misra on Thursday said the clean chit by the tribunal was given "purely on merit".
In a two-page statement, Misra said: "The two immovable properties and Rs.200,000 cash received by Mayawati as gift from her well-wishers and followers is exempt from income tax and has wrongly been included by the assessing officer in the taxable income of the chief minister. It is a politically motivated case."
Interestingly, Misra has avoided giving the details of the two properties. However, sources in the income tax department said: "Each of these properties were worth millions of rupees".
In the statement, Misra said: "The appellate commissioner of income tax had quashed the assessing officer's order and later, after the income tax department went in for higher appeal, even the IT tribunal upheld the appellate commissioner's order."
He added: "It is a pity that even after losing twice, the income tax department was out to pursue the case through a writ petition before the Delhi High Court."
Referring to the notice issued Wednesday by the Delhi High Court in this regard, he said: "It is just a routine notice and does not in any way affect the orders of the tribunal, which continues to hold good."
Accusing the centre of having double standards, Mayawati said: "The central government has not cared to take up similar cases against union ministers Laloo Prasad Yadav and Pranab Mukherjee." She termed the IT department's latest move an attempt to target her.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}