Ahmedabad: The main opposition Congress party will hold dharna at Income Tax char rasta on Ashram road here on Saturday, February 17 against what they claim as “freezing of Indian National Congress party and Youth Congress’s bank accounts”. The dharna programme will be led by State party president Shaktisinh Gohil at around noon.

Meanwhile the Income Tax department sources told news agency ANI that – Income Tax department will follow the normal course of action for tax recovery in case of Congress. ITAT (Income Tax Appellate Tribunal) will hear the matter on 21st February. Current due of Congress to the Tax Department is Rs 115 crores. No bank operations have been seized/stopped.

‘The Congress’ tax due pertains to the financial year 2017-2018, AY 2018-2019. The initial due to the Tax Dept was Rs 103 crores + Rs 32 crores of late payment interest. The claims were for not filing the return on time. The tax due was reassessed at Rs 105 crores on 6th July 2021. Post this Indian National Congress appealed before Commissioner Appeals but did not pay the mandatory 20% of the tax due to initiate the appeal.’

‘INC paid only Rs 78 lakhs, thus CIT(Appeal) dismissed their plea. Again INC, on May 2023, went for 2nd appeal at ITAT. Congress did not apply for any stay on the tax demand at ITAT. In Oct 2023, INC paid Rs 1.72 crores. No orders have been passed by ITAT today. Nowhere in their appeal has Congress disputed the tax-due amount. No bank account operation has been stopped by the Income Tax department.’

DeshGujarat