Day after Shinde’s swearing-in, Sharad Pawar says ’received love letter from Income Tax dept’

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, July 01, 2022: The Income Tax department has sent a notice to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in connection with poll affidavits filed by him in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2020.

 

This comes a day after the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena, was edged out of power in Maharashtra by rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde, with backing from the BJP. Shinde was sworn in as the 20th chief minister of Maharashtra, while BJP stalwart Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy CM on Thursday.

Reacting to the notice, Pawar tweeted in Marathi: "The help of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and central agencies are being used nowadays and the results are visible. Many members of the Legislative Assembly say they have received notices of inquiry. This new method has started. We didn’t even know the name ED five years ago. Today, even in the villages, people jokingly say that you will have an ED behind you.”

He further said, "This system is used for people with different political views. I have received a similar love letter from Income Tax. They are now investigating the information contained in the affidavit while contesting the 2004 Lok Sabha elections."

Pawar went on to add, "I also stood for the Lok Sabha in 2009, after 2009 I stood for the Rajya Sabha elections of 2014, and now the notice regarding the affidavit of the Rajya Sabha elections of 2020 has also come. Luckily I have all his information in order."

Claiming that central probe agencies are targeting party chief Sharad Pawar, the NCP questioned the timing of the notice that had been issued.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut was also summoned by the ED. Raut is set to appear before the probe agency at noon today.

Courtesy: India Today