After serving a notice to Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's wife for alleged tax evasion, it has now emerged that the Income Tax Department is behind two other family members of the official.
Lavasa's sister Shakuntala Lavasa, a paediatrician, was also slapped with an I-T notice in August, the same month his wife Novel Singhal Lavasa was sent a notice, the Indian Express reported. The report also claimed that the tax department also surveyed the books of accounts of Nourish Organic Foods Ltd, a company in which his son Abir Lavasa is a director and holds 10,000 shares as part of an employee stock option plan last financial year.
Confirming the development, Abir said that a survey was conducted into the company’s books of accounts in August first week, but the department has not followed up since then. Citing an Income Tax officer, the report said that Abir has sought adjournments and not replied to the department.
In addition, the tax department has reportedly questioned Rupali Buildwell Private Ltd, a builder firm, that constructed a four-storeyed building in Gurgaon, co-owned by Ashok Lavasa and his wife Novel. The company officials confirmed that a few I-T officials visited them in August.
It is to be noted that Lavasa, who was appointed election commissioner on January 23, 2018, had written a dissent note with regard to the implementation of the model code of conduct (MCC) during the recently concluded general elections. His difference of opinion with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra was widely reported then.
An ex-banker and director in several firms, Lavasa's wife was issued a notice by the department to explain certain details in her I-T Returns (ITR) with regard to holding directorship in about 10 companies, they said. The officials said after preliminary investigation, the tax department has asked her to provide more documents related to her personal finances.
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Novel Lavasa issued a statement late night stating she has paid all due taxes on her income. "There have been reports in certain sections of the media about income tax notices (issued to me) regarding discrepancies in tax returns filed by me. It is stated that I have paid all taxes due towards me and disclosed all income earned by me from pension, and all other sources as per Income Tax law," she said.
It is clarified, she added, that having served as a class I officer with State Bank of India for 28 years and having acquired vast experience in banking and development, "I continue to be engaged in various professional activities, including as independent director in a few companies".
"I have replied to all I-T notices received since August 5, 2019 and have been cooperating with the ongoing process of the department," she said.
The department is looking at the ITRs of Novel Singhal Lavasa to ascertain if her income has escaped assessment in the past or something has been concealed from tax authorities, the official sources said. The probe into alleged tax evasion and holding of directorship in multiple firms against the former banker pertains to a time period between 2015 and 2017, they said.
(WIth PTI inputs)
