Expecting I-T notice any moment, says foreign-bound Amar Singh

New Delhi, June 15 (UNI) Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh, whose wife Pankaja Kumari has been slapped with an income tax notice, today said he may also get one in a day or two.

''I can see it coming, and I am prepared for it, '' said Mr Singh, who is leaving for abroad today.

He was addressing a press conference here after the news of the income tax notice on his wife was out.

The move, which follows close on the heels of IT notices to Amitabh Bachchan and his wife, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, was likely to further embitter the relationship between the Congress and the SP.

Recently, Congressman Vishwanath Chaturvedi had filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking for a probe into the sources of income of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

The Congress has embarked on a state-sponsored vendetta against SP leaders, he said.

Replying to a question, he said the notice on his wife was served about a month ago, and it has been replied to.

''My house is open for any inquiry or raid,'' said Mr Singh. He is also facing an Election Commission notice served on the office-of- profit ground, and is to reply to the commission through his lawyer tomorrow.

He said since he was going abroad today, he will answer to the EC through his lawyer.

He vehemently denied he and his party was politicising the income tax issue.

''It is not we who are making any statement, It is the Congress which is using unparliamentary language against the SP leaders,'' Mr Singh added.

The notice to Ms Kumari has asked her to declare all properties and assets acquired over the past six years. It was delivered to Mr Singh's residence in the national capital. She has been asked to personally appear before the Income Tax office here.

UNI NAZ AK VV1538