Srinagar, Sept 02: Income Tax Department is questioning fire-brand Jamaat-e-Islami leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his kins asking them to furnish answers to a questionare about their sources of income. The questionaire followed the assessment of his wealth by the Income Tax Department following a series of raids conducted at his residence and other places in June last year. Income Tax Department had raided Geelani's residence and other places of his kins on June nine last year and seized Rs 10.2 lakh and 10,000 us dollars in cash, vouchers showing purchase of substantial jewellery, a diamond-encrusted watch inscribed with "from Pakistan government" besides documents pertaining to purchase of property and vehicles. Geelani had shown an annual income of Rs 17,100 -- Rs 7,100 as pension from the state assembly as a former MLA and Rs 10,000 as agriculture income.
However, according to the assessment made by the income tax department, the monthly expenditure of Geelani allegedly ranged from Rs one lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh as he had 15 servants at his residence and his wife had confirmed that she used to get Rs 25,000 per month to run kitchen expenses.
Geelani, meanwhile, has responded to the income tax notice and asked the tax department to show him the documents seized from his residence last year.
Bureau Report