Karti Chidambaram to move Madras HC in tax evasion case

Congress Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram and his wife Srinidhi will move the Madras High Court in a tax evasion case, a day after their discharge petition was rejected by a special court, their counsel said on Wednesday.

The matter relates to the alleged non-disclosure of Rs 1.35 crore received by Karti, son of former union minister P Chidambaram, and his wife Srinidhi in cash for sale of land at Muttukadu near here.

The couple's advocate N R R Arun Natarajan, in a "statement on behalf of Mrs and Mr Karti P Chidambaram," said no cash was received in the sale transaction.

"The IT Department's complaint was based on a notice of re-assessment.The IT Department's re-assessment proceedings abated on December 31, 2019. No order of assessment or demand was passed. The complaint is therefore non-existent in law," he said.

"We will bring this fact to the notice of the trial court and move the Madras High Court against the order of the trial court," Natarajan added.

No cash was received in the sale transaction and the entire proceeds have been accounted for and reflected in the books of account and returns filed, the counsel said.

On Tuesday, Special Court for MLAs and MPs judge D Lingeshwaran dismissed the discharge petition filed by Karti and his wife in connection with the case.

The judge had found merit in the evidence submitted by the prosecution and dismissed the plea.

The judge ordered the prosecution to go ahead with the framing of charges and sought both the accused to be present in the court on January 21.

The petitioners submitted that the transaction was completed and returns of income were filed in 2015 when Karti was not a member of Parliament.

The deputy director of income tax Investigation, Chennai, had filed a complaint on September 12, 2018 against the petitioners before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court-II (Economic Offences) for offences under sections 276c(1) and 277 of the I-T Act. The case was later transferred to the special court.