Benami assets row: IT dept issues final attachment order against Misa Bharti, husband Shailesh Kumar

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New Delhi: The Income Tax (I-T) department on Monday issued a final attachment order against Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar in the benami assets case.

The properties attached include a house in Delhi's upmarket New Friends Colony, a farm house in Bijwasan area of the national capital and nine plots in Jalalpur area of Patna in Bihar.

Earlier on September 5, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached Misa Bharti's property in Bijwasan in connection with a money laundering case.

The farmhouse "Palam Farms" was bought from the money raised through shell companies owned by Bharti and her husband, the ED had said.

The Income Tax Department is probing how four shell companies - AB Exports Pvt Ltd, Delight Marketing Pvt Ltd, AK Info Systems, Mishail Packers and Printers Pvt Ltd were used by Lalu Prasad and his family to buy expensive properties in Delhi and Patna through benami transactions.

The Directorate had in July chargesheeted around 35 people, including Chartered Accountant Rajesh Agrawal and businessmen brothers Surendra Jain and Virendra Jain, for facilitating illegal transactions.

Earlier on June 13, the Income Tax Department had summoned Shailesh Kumar, in connection with the benami assets and tax evasion case was registered against him.

On June 7, the IT department slapped a fine of Rs. 10,000 against Shailesh on account of not appearing for interrogation.

The IT department had also conducted raids and surveys at about 22 locations in Delhi and adjoining areas in connection with alleged benami deals of Rs 1,000 crore by Lalu's family.

(With inputs from agencies)