Income Tax department attaches Geelani's Delhi house

Income Tax department attaches Geelani's Delhi house

HIGHLIGHTS

• Syed Ali Shah Geelani's flat is located in south Delhi's Malviya Nagar area
• Action has been taken under section 222 of the I-T Act
• Enforcement Directorate had levied a penalty of Rs 14.40 lakh on Geelani

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The Income-Tax Department has attached a house of hardline Kashmiri separatistSyed Ali Shah Geelanilocated in Delhi in connection with an over Rs 3.62 crore tax evasion case against him. The IT department has attached a house of a Kashmiri separatist Syed Ali Shah Geelani in connection with a tax evasion case of over three crore 62 thousand rupees. A Tax Recovery Officer of the department sealed the house located in south Delhi as Geelani allegedly failed to pay income tax for assessment years from 1996 - 97 to 2001-02. Last month, ED had imposed a penalty of over 14 lakh rupees on Geelani for illegal possession of 10 thousand dollars in violation of foreign exchange law. The foreign currency was seized during an Income Tax raid at Geelani's residence in Srinagar's Hyderpora area in 2002.

The department has undertaken the action under section 222 of the I-T Act and it has 'prohibited and restrained' the Hurriyat Conference leader from transferring the asset.

The TRO is an enforcement action taking arm of the tax department and it deals with cases of wilful defaulters. The authority is empowered to attach an asset and subsequently auction it to realise the tax dues.