Hyderabad: After serving notices to the TRS MLAs, including the party’s top brass, over a sharp increase in the value of their assets, the income- tax department is now on the trail of the ruling TD and even YSR Congress members in Andhra Pradesh.
It is learnt that while some notices have already been issued, the I-T department will be issuing more such notices in the days as the department is still studying the affidavits of some more candidates. Some of the notices were reportedly served recently and the lawmakers have been given time to respond to the notice.
Recently, the income-tax had issued notices to around 40 MLAs, all belonging to the TRS, after scrutinising their affidavits filed before the Election Commission in 2014 and compared them with the ones submitted ahead of the assembly elections last year.
Sources told Deccan Chronicle that after studying the affidavits filed by the ruling TD in the previous elections with the ones submitted before the elections now and also those of the YSR C members, the I-T department found a steep increase in the movable and immovable assets of several MLAs.
“As per the guidelines laid down by the Election Commission, notices have been served to some members, irrespective of which party they belong to and the process (of serving notices to more members) is continuing,’’ the sources said without confirming or denying whether notices were, or is being served to AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, his son Nara Lokesh and YSR Congress chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy as well.
“In some of the affidavits, the difference is huge and runs into several crores of rupees. We will see what replies or explanation the members give us and based on which, we will decide the future course of action,’’ IT officials said.
The MLAs will be asked to submit the annual records explaining their source of income and the reasons for the increase in the income.
Sources said that no sooner had the I-T served notices to the TRS MLAs in Telangana, the TD MLAs, some of whom were expecting a similar action in Andhra Pradesh, had already asked their chartered accountants to keep ready sufficient explanation to be given to the Income tax department.
However, the I-T officials believe that since AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is at war with the Centre, the Election Commission and the income-tax department in particular, the TD might try to gain maximum political mileage and is likely to target the I-T department over whether similar notices whether similar notices are being served to the BJP members as well.
“Studying affidavits submitted to the Election Commission is a routine affair and it happens during every election. Across the country, the I-T will study and compare affidavits of the candidates of the ruling party and notices served seeking explanation. There is no scope for politics here,’’ said one I-T official.
