IT dept issues notices to 14 ministers in MP

Bhopal, Oct 31 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh Income-Tax (IT) department has issued notices to 14 ministers of the ruling BJP government asking them whether they had filed their IT returns for the current fiscal year.

However, IT department sources, said a letter and not a notice had been sent to the ministers and asserted that it was a part of procedural things.

The notice comes following a complaint in this regard by Opposition Leader Jamuna Devi to the IT department.

Sources said six cabinet ministers -- Mr Gopal Bhargava, Mr Lakshmikant Sharma, Mr Choudhary Chandrabhan Singh, Mr Ramakant Tiwari, Ms Kusum Mehdele and Mr Kamal Patel -- had been asked why they had not filed their IT return.

Other cabinet ministers including Mr Ajay Vishnoi, Mr Narottam Mishra, Mr Jayant Malaiya, Mr Raghavji, Mr Vijay Shah, Mr Himmat Kothari, Mr Nagendra Singh, Mr Tukojirao Puar and Minister of State Narayan Kushwah had been asked to explain why they had filed their IT return elsewhere instead of appropriate place.

The ministers had been provided adequate time for giving reply.

Earlier, Ms Devi had filed a complaint with the IT department regarding purchase of commercial vehicles by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's wife Sadhna Singh. The IT department is investigating the matter.

UNI