MUMBAI: The Income Tax Department has said that it has found evidence during a recent search showing that Rs 6 crore was spent on the construction of a prominent politician’s resort at Dapoli in Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra which was not accounted in the books of account.
The department has also said that a state government officer’s family along with close relatives acquired 100 acres of land in the last seven years and owned several business establishments. I-T is investigating these establishments for tax evasion.
The department issued a press note on Thursday in which it didn’t name the politician and the government officer.
However, I-T sources said that the prominent politician mentioned in the press note was referred to state transport minister Anil Parab and the state government officer was meant for deputy regional transport officer (RTO) Bajrang Kharmate.
Recently, the department had searched the premises of Kharmate, a cable operator Sadanand Kadam and a CA of Parab. During the search at 26 premises in Mumbai, Pune, Sangli, Ratnagiri, the I-T seized Rs 66 lakh cash, digital data and documentary evidence for examination.
Parab had executed a land deal with cable operator Sadanand Kadam, brother of former Shiv Sena minister Ramdas Kadam, at Ratnagiri for the construction of the resort. The department is examining its details.
The department’s press note stated: “Evidence found during the search revealed that the construction of the resort started in 2017 and more than Rs 6 crore was spent on it. The cost of construction of the same has not been accounted for either by the person searched or the politician in their books of account.”
The note further stated that the prominent politician purchased a parcel of land at Dapoli in 2017 for Rs 1 crore but it was got registered in 2019. The land was subsequently sold to one of the persons covered in the search action ( cable operator Sada Kadam) in 2020 for Rs. 1.1 crore. Between the period, they had constructed the resort on the land.
“It transpires that the relevant facts about the construction of the resort were not intimated to the registration authorities and accordingly, the stamp duty was paid only for the registration of the land on both the occasions, in 2019 and in 2020,” the press note read.
During the search at the premises of deputy RTO Bajrang Kharmate, the department found his family members along with close relatives amassed huge wealth in the form of properties at prime localities at Pune, Sangli and Baramati districts over a period of the last 10 years.
Kharmate family along with close relatives owns a bungalow and a farmhouse in Pune, one lavish farmhouse in Tasgaon, two bungalows in Sangli, two commercial complexes having Tanishq and Carat lane showrooms, five flats in different locations of Pune, one flat in Navi Mumbai, vacant plots in Sangli, Baramati, Pune and more than 100 acres of agricultural land acquired during the past seven years. The family owns many businesses including civil construction, real estate and pipe manufacturing.
The department is examining the source of funds spent on lavish interiors of shops and bungalows.
The department found that one of Kharmate’s relatives runs a construction business that received many contracts from the state government. The department also found evidence showing inflation of contract expenses through bogus purchases and sub-contracts worth Rs 27 crore.
The I-T also found evidence related to Rs 2 crore unaccounted cash receipt in the sale of land at Baramati.
Kharmate reportedly is not directly connected with Parab, but working under the state transport ministry headed by him.
Earlier, the ED had questioned Kharmate on the allegation of money exchanging hands for postings in the police force between him and Parab.
The allegation was made by dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, but the ED didn’t find anything to substantiate Waze’s claim till the filing of the last chargesheet in the money laundering case connected to former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.
The department has also said that a state government officer’s family along with close relatives acquired 100 acres of land in the last seven years and owned several business establishments. I-T is investigating these establishments for tax evasion.
The department issued a press note on Thursday in which it didn’t name the politician and the government officer.
However, I-T sources said that the prominent politician mentioned in the press note was referred to state transport minister Anil Parab and the state government officer was meant for deputy regional transport officer (RTO) Bajrang Kharmate.
Recently, the department had searched the premises of Kharmate, a cable operator Sadanand Kadam and a CA of Parab. During the search at 26 premises in Mumbai, Pune, Sangli, Ratnagiri, the I-T seized Rs 66 lakh cash, digital data and documentary evidence for examination.
Parab had executed a land deal with cable operator Sadanand Kadam, brother of former Shiv Sena minister Ramdas Kadam, at Ratnagiri for the construction of the resort. The department is examining its details.
The department’s press note stated: “Evidence found during the search revealed that the construction of the resort started in 2017 and more than Rs 6 crore was spent on it. The cost of construction of the same has not been accounted for either by the person searched or the politician in their books of account.”
The note further stated that the prominent politician purchased a parcel of land at Dapoli in 2017 for Rs 1 crore but it was got registered in 2019. The land was subsequently sold to one of the persons covered in the search action ( cable operator Sada Kadam) in 2020 for Rs. 1.1 crore. Between the period, they had constructed the resort on the land.
“It transpires that the relevant facts about the construction of the resort were not intimated to the registration authorities and accordingly, the stamp duty was paid only for the registration of the land on both the occasions, in 2019 and in 2020,” the press note read.
During the search at the premises of deputy RTO Bajrang Kharmate, the department found his family members along with close relatives amassed huge wealth in the form of properties at prime localities at Pune, Sangli and Baramati districts over a period of the last 10 years.
Kharmate family along with close relatives owns a bungalow and a farmhouse in Pune, one lavish farmhouse in Tasgaon, two bungalows in Sangli, two commercial complexes having Tanishq and Carat lane showrooms, five flats in different locations of Pune, one flat in Navi Mumbai, vacant plots in Sangli, Baramati, Pune and more than 100 acres of agricultural land acquired during the past seven years. The family owns many businesses including civil construction, real estate and pipe manufacturing.
The department is examining the source of funds spent on lavish interiors of shops and bungalows.
The department found that one of Kharmate’s relatives runs a construction business that received many contracts from the state government. The department also found evidence showing inflation of contract expenses through bogus purchases and sub-contracts worth Rs 27 crore.
The I-T also found evidence related to Rs 2 crore unaccounted cash receipt in the sale of land at Baramati.
Kharmate reportedly is not directly connected with Parab, but working under the state transport ministry headed by him.
Earlier, the ED had questioned Kharmate on the allegation of money exchanging hands for postings in the police force between him and Parab.
The allegation was made by dismissed police officer Sachin Waze, but the ED didn’t find anything to substantiate Waze’s claim till the filing of the last chargesheet in the money laundering case connected to former state home minister Anil Deshmukh.