NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have approached Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s order rejecting the Income-tax Department’s decision to transfer their assessments to the Central Circle, instead of an ordinary assessment, without sanction from the Central Board of Direct Taxes. The matter relates to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari.
The Central Circle is mandated with checking tax evasion. They take over the evidence gathered by the investigation wing during searches. Apart from Congress leaders, the pleas have also been preferred by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Trust, Jawahar Bhavan Trust and Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust challenging the HC order.
A Delhi HC bench of Justices Manmohan and Dinesh Kumar Sharma while rejecting Gandhis’ pleas, had said, “Undoubtedly there cannot be guilt by association or relationship, yet in the present matters, assessments have been transferred for the purposes of a coordinated investigation.”
The bench was of the view that the Central Circle jurisdiction is not confined to searches and no assesse has a fundamental right to be assessed by a faceless assessing officer.
‘Shivling an article of faith’
Hindu parties in the Gyanvapi case have submitted before the Supreme Court that the Shivling is being denigrated by the Masjid Committee by referring to it as a ‘fountain’. The submission is in the plea by the Masjid Committee against the Allahabad HC’s decision to conduct a scientific survey of the alleged Shivling found in Gyanvapi.
“Shivlingam is an article of faith and worship for Hindus not just in India but worldwide and therefore they have a fundamental right to worship the deity. To finally decide the suit, it is a prerequisite that the scientific investigation of the Shivlingam/fountain is conducted,” the affidavit has stated. The affidavit has been filed in the plea challenging HC’s direction on “carbon dating” and “scientific survey” of the purported Shivling found at Gyanvapi.
Also in top court
Uddhav’s plea to be heard on July 31
The SC on Monday agreed to hear on July 31 former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray’s plea against the Election Commission’s order allotting the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the undivided party’s bow and arrow election symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said the matter was listed for hearing after advocate Amit Anand Tiwari sought its urgent listing.
Plea against order on Rs 2K notes junked
The SC on Monday refused to entertain an appeal challenging the Delhi HC verdict dismissing a PIL against the RBI notification permitting the exchange of Rs 2,000 currency notes without any requisition slip and ID proof, saying it is an executive policy decision. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha dismissed the appeal filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay.