I-T Dept moves court for Sirsa dera search

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 17

Officials of the Income Tax (I-T) Department arrived in Sirsa today to conduct a search at Dera Sacha Sauda, but would have to wait for a few days as a local court adjourned till October 21 its decision on the I-T team’s application.

The team of the I-T Department’s investigation wing, led by Assistant Director Data Ram, reached Sirsa to conduct the search as per directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

When contacted, Data Ram refused to divulge any details, saying only the Central Board of Direct Taxation in Delhi was authorised to share details with the media.

Sources said since the police had conducted a search operation after dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh’s conviction and documents, computers and hard discs were lying sealed with it, the I-T Department’s search implied inspection of the material for anything incriminating regarding tax evasion.

The sources said the police told the I-T officials that they could not share the data without court permission since the entire operation had been conducted under the supervision of a Court Commissioner appointed by the High Court.

The I-T team moved an application before Sirsa Chief Judicial Magistrate Vijay James for getting copies of material seized from the police.

“The court called for the record from the Sirsa City police station. The SHO sought time. Since the next three days are court holidays, the court fixed October 21 as the next date of hearing,” said Ashish Singla, standing counsel for the I-T Department in Sirsa.

The police conducted the search operation at the dera from September 7 to 10. On September 28, the High Court directed the Enforcement Directorate and I-T Department to probe allegations of money laundering against the dera.