CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed the writ petitions filed by Sivaganga MP Karti P Chidambaram and his wife Srinidhi Karti Chidambaram challenging show-cause notices issued to them by the Income Tax department for the assessment years 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The case pertains to Karti receiving Rs 6.38 crore in cash while his wife, Srinidhi, received Rs 1.35 crore in cash through the sale of land owned by them near Muttukadu. However, they had neither disclosed the same in their assessment nor paid taxes for the income, the prosecution stated.
Karti and others involved in the deal sought to quash the proceedings, saying they are illegal, without jurisdiction, and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. Dismissing the writ petitions, Justice SM Subramaniyan pointed out that they were filed challenging the show cause notices issued under Section 153C of the IT Act.
The court observed that it is clear that no writ against a show-cause notice needs to be entertained by the high court. The judge directed the I-T officials concerned to proceed with the assessment/reassessment by following the procedures as contemplated by allowing the petitioners to complete the same as expeditiously as possible.