IT officials are targeting me on behest of UPA : Mayawati

Lucknow, Apr 2 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today charged the United Progressive Alliance(UPA) government with targeting her through the Income Tax department by filing a politically-motivated case of Dispropotionate Assets (DA) in the Delhi High Court.

''The case filed by the IT department in the Delhi HC is just an attempt by the Centre to put pressure on me,'' she said while reiterating that she had full faith on judiciary and would not bow to any pressure.

Addressing a press conference here, Ms Mayawati said how could the IT department go for an appeal when the Court of Commissioner Income Tax ( Appeal) and IT Appellate Tribunal had given their decision in her favour in November 2006 and November 2007 respectively.

She said the case concerned assessment year 2003-04 when she did not pay any tax on two non-movable properties given through a registered gift deed and Rs two lakh which was gifted to her through an account payee cheque.

'' The orders of the tribunal and appeal court had justified that both the properties and the cheque were gifts hence no tax should be charged whereas now the IT department had moved the Delhi HC against the tribunal and Appellate judgements,'' she said.

Giving examples of the role of the IT department in similar cases against External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, Ms Mayawati said the department did not go to the HC after the tribunal passed orders similar to those given in her case.

''The IT department's move in the HC against me proves that undue pressure was mounted on them for political reasons,'' she asserted when questioned why the two union ministers were given a clean chit by the department.

The Chief Minister also denied that she had been served notice by the Delhi High Court as reported by some television channels.

The Delhi High Court today issued a notice to Ms Mayawati asking her to reply by September 19 as to why her income through gifts should not be considered taxable.

The IT department, in its appeal to the Court, said Ms Mayawati's contention that the gifts given to her by BSP supporters were out of love and affection and did not fall under the income tax purview held no ground, as all the gifts were taxable under the Income Tax Act.

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