NEW DELHI: A court on Monday allowed the I-T department to question Gautam Khaitan, an accused in the AgustaWestland scam, in Tihar jail where he is lodged in a separate case of black money and money laundering.Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed the I-T officials to question Khaitan on March 19, 20 and 22 and record his statement.
The court passed the order after the agency said there was evidence against Khaitan showing evasion of tax and needed to be quizzed on the black money stashed. Advocate Pramod Kumar Dubey, appearing for Khaitan, opposed the I-T department’s submission, saying the agency was targeting him and not even sharing the detail of the case. The court had on March 12 dismissed his bail plea of in the black money and money laundering case.
The fresh criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) was filed by the ED against Khaitan on the basis of a case lodged by the Income Tax department against him under section 51 of the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
Khaitan, in judicial custody, was arrested on January 25, a week after the I-T officers raided his offices and various other properties in Delhi and the NCR. With agency inputs