Trouble is brewing for the Maharani of erstwhile Patiala royalty Preneet Kaur.
The former Union Minister, Preneet, on Monday confirmed that she is being investigated by the Income Tax authorities for allegedly holding an illegal bank account abroad — an allegations categorically denied by her.
“In keeping with my reply to the Income Tax department, I would like to state that I never have had, and do not have any bank account(s) overseas in my name with any foreign bank,” said Kaur, wife of Punjab’s former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, in her reply to a television channel.
Maintaining that she did not have any foreign bank account, Preneet asserted that she had received such a notice three years ago, in 2011. “In this regard, I can confirm receiving such a notice in 2011, and having replied it wherein I have strongly denied any such allegations,” said Preneet, in a statement. “I have always replied in the negative to such like inquiries in the past as well,” read her statement.
The development coincides with the Central Government’s move to furnish three names having black money in the foreign bank accounts before the Supreme Court on Monday.
Moreover, the IT department’s move to initiate probe into the bank accounts of the politicians came just about three months after the BJP led NDA Government at the Centre promised to look into the “black money” stashed in bank accounts abroad.
It has been learnt that Preneet is among four Congress leaders under IT scanner in connection with the black money case.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely, who was made to bite the dust by Preneet’s husband Capt Amarinder during 2014 general elections, had earlier claimed that the revelation of the list of Indians holding illegal bank accounts abroad would embarrass the Congress.
Newly-elected Patiala MlA, Preneet was also put on notice by the Election Commission on the allegations that she had concealed details of her foreign bank account while filling nomination papers, ahead 2014 lok Sabha polls — charges denied by her at that time too. Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had also alleged that Preneet's husband Capt Amarinder had also failed to divulge foreign bank account details of his wife and son Raninder Singh.