Arvind Kejriwal backs Satyendra Jain after I-T dept issued summons to AAP minister

Amid political blame game, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday backed his minister Satyendra Kumar Jain in the Income Tax (I-T) case, after the latter was summoned by the department concerned. The I-T department has issued summons to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister, asking him to appear before the department in connection with a tax evasion probe against certain Kolkata-based firms. [caption id=“attachment_2893380” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] AAP minister Satyendra Kumar Jain. News18[/caption] Kejriwal, who himself had been a senior I-T official in the past, has given a clean chit to his health minister and said Jain was being ‘framed’. He added that if Jain had been ‘guilty’, he (Kejriwal) would have thrown him out. The chief minister in his tweet said, “I summoned Satinder this morning. Saw all papers. He innocent, being framed. If he ws guilty, we wud have thrown him out. We stand by him.”

I summoned Satinder this morning. Saw all papers. He innocent, being framed. If he were guilty, we wud have thrown him out. We stand by him

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 27, 2016

False cases against AAP MLAs n ministers, FIR against me, CBI raid on me - why? A v big conspiracy. Will expose in Del Assembly on Fri

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) September 27, 2016

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Why the summons The I-T department has issued summons to Jain in relation to a tax evasion probe against Kolkata-based firms. According to I-T department sources, Jain has been asked to furnish personal financial details and Income Tax Returns on 4 October. “The department received records of financial transactions related to Jain, which has connections with a few firms based in Kolkata. These firms were recently searched in connection with tax evasion and illegal financial remittances case. The probe is on and during the process we found documents with Jain’s name on it,” the source said. The I-T department has indicated that three firms related to real estate and IT are under the tax department scanner. The department claimed that the “minister had financial transactions with these firms”. Satyendra Jain’s reaction Jain is a qualified architect and now holds Health, Home, Power, PWD, Transport and Urban Development as portfolios as a minister in Delhi government. In an affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, he has declared his asset of Rs 7.84 crore. Jain told reporters that the summons he has received was a re-assessment notice and nothing to do with any investigation. “Prior to joining politics and AAP, I had worked as an architect and constructed several buildings. I had made investments in these companies four years back, but I have nothing to do with these companies since 2013. I have done nothing wrong. I have only been summoned as a witness. It is just reassessment not investigation,” he told reporters.

WATCH
Delhi minister Satyendar Jain says Delhi CM will make a big exposé in the Assembly in two days, dares TV channels to air it. pic.twitter.com/70iu42qDbt

— AAP In News (@AAPInNews) September 27, 2016

What Congress and BJP say? Both the BJP and the Congress party didn’t leave an opportunity to train their guns at the AAP minister. BJP spokesperson Sidharth Nath Singh said, “Kejriwal jumped in and has given a clean chit without seeing the documents. Jain has been summoned for an illegal entry by the Income Tax Department. Earlier, in the case of another minister Jitender Singh Tomar, he did the same. This is how the party functions.” Congress leader and spokesperson Ajay Maken said, “All these ministers have been chosen by Kejriwal. Instead of answering to the questions posed to them, they question back. If they are innocent, let them come out in open. AAP always plays the victim card and practices diversion tactics.”