BHUBANESWAR:Trailing the financials of Hansita Abhilipsa and Anil Mohanty, the Income Tax department has stumbled upon a startling transaction of Rs 120 crore between a ‘corporate entity’ and the accused.
Preliminary probe suggests Hansita and three other suspects used to liaison for the entity since the last three years for business development. “Out of the total transactions, it has been ascertained that Rs 65 crore was untaxed,” said I-T department sources.
Earlier in the week, the property of Hansita, her ex-husband Saroj Kumar Sahoo and Anil spanning three states - Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand - were searched. Now, the tax department’s investigation has traced purported benami financial transactions worth `120 crore between the three and the corporate entity having pan-India operations. A fourth suspect is also under scanner.
While Hansita has pleaded innocence and said she has done no wrong, I-T sources said the corporate entity transferred money in the bank accounts of the suspects to execute various works, both genuine and fake, but later took back a large chunk through cash and other hawala mediums to evade taxes.
At least half-a-dozen real estate developers are also under the central agency’s scanner for allegedly assisting Hansita and her associates in their activities and evade taxes. On many occasions, government officials were allegedly bribed.
I-T department has already provisionally attached four flats and five luxury vehicles registered in the names of Hansita, Saroj and Anil. Out of the four flats, three are in one plush housing apartment near Patia. They conducted searches at a flat on Thursday and seized 300 gm gold ornaments.
Sources said Hansita had reportedly engaged a New Delhi-based firm to carry out the interior designing of one of her flats by spending a whopping `90 lakh. The flat, I-T sources said, gave the feel of a five-star hotel.
Hansita and her associates even made a generous political donation to a prominent person. Her stock rose exponentially in the last three to four years as she allegedly earned quick money.
A native of Kalahandi district, Hansita holds degrees in rural management and MA in sociology, said police sources.
Hansita and Anil were initially arrested by Infocity police on charges of cheating by posing as kin of PK Mishra, principal secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.