BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Sunday accused Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) of delaying registering of cases against P Chidambaram and family members under Black Money Act and Benami Act, despite enough evidences. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swamy said instead of directly registering cases, top officers of CBDT were trying to save their former boss Chidambaram and son Karti by merely writing letters to 14 countries about their illegally massed properties.
"The Income Tax Chennai Unit prepared a 200 page summary while the Enforcement Directorate issued a 70 page Summons to Karti and his benami Directors on April 17, 2017 are sufficient concrete evidence to register cases under new Black Money Act and new Benami Act," said Swamy. More than a year ago raids conducted by Income Tax and ED had unearthed illegal properties of Chidambaram and family members in 14 countries and 21 undeclared foreign bank accounts.
Swamy said Enforcement Directorate's 70 page summons details Karti's emails to his benami Directors about Rs.3000 crore transactions abroad. "Income Tax Chennai Unit and ED had found a six page WIll executed by Benami Directors of Karti, bequeathing their entire properties to Karti, wife and daughter Aditi in consideration of their respect towards former Finance Minister P Chidambaram!. This WIIl shows that Karti will be the executor. This clearly shows that making out such a WIll was a clandestine way for these Directors to function as benamis," said Swamy.
The BJP leader said these evidences are enough to register cases under new Black Money and Benami Act instead of writing letters to 14 countries. "This writing of letters to 14 countries is a clever move to delay the case for many years and tax havens would not respond immediately. Without registering a case, getting letters of Rogatories, just writing letters have no legal value and foreign countries will not co-operate without registering a case and before the designated court of law seek letters Rogatory," pointed out Swamy.