We’re looking into the huge rise in assets of 7 MPs and 98 MLAs, I-T Department tells Supreme Court
On September 6, the bench had asked the Centre whether it had taken action against politicians whose monetary assets had jumped 500% between two polls.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes is investigating seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 state lawmakers for “substantial increases” in assets, the department told the Supreme Court on Monday. The board said it will give the bench the names of these parliamentarians and MLAs in a sealed cover on Tuesday, The Times of India reported.
The Income Tax Department had conducted preliminary investigations into their assets, the agency said. On the face of it, there were “huge” increases in the Lok Sabha MPs’ assets and “substantial” increases in the MLAs’ assets, it added.
On September 6, the Supreme Court had asked the Centre whether it had taken any action against politicians whose monetary assets had jumped by up to 500% between two elections. A bench of justices J Chelameswar and S Abdul Nazeer had criticised the government’s inaction and attitude in the matter.
The top court’s statement and the tax department’s investigation followed a Lucknow NGO’s Public Interest Litigation, which alleged that election affidavits showed significant increases in the assets of MPs and MLAs.