Don't try to evade tax inquiry: HC to MGR Univ VC

Chennai: TIMES NEWS NETWORK





“Don't try to escape the clutches of tax inquiry. You are occupying a responsible position and a public office. Income tax summons has not come from heaven, it has come after searches of your premises.“ That was a quote by the Madras high court, which on Tuesday refused to stay or quash I-T summons to Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University vice-chancellor S Geethalakshmi.

 

After Justice K Ravichandrababu made it clear that he would neither stay the summons nor even extend the date for her appearance before the taxmen, the writ petition was dismissed as withdrawn.
Income tax officials on April 7 raided Dr Geethalakshmi's house and office.The officials had also searched the properties of health minister C Vijayabaskar and actor-politician R Sarathkumar.
After summoning all of them to appear before tax authorities on Monday , the date was changed to Wednesday (April 12) in the case of Geethalakshmi alone. While the minister and the actor obliged and answered queries for several hours, Geethalakshmi moved the high court, saying officials had not followed mandatory provisions of the Income Tax Act.Since she faced no investiga tion, summons ought not to have been issued to her, she said.

However, Justi ce Ravichandraba bu rejected the ar guments advanced by senior counsel S Gomathinayagam and said no intervention was possible in the matter.
Making it clear that the petition could not be entertained at all, the judge said if tax officials had issued summons, it was the responsibility of the recipient to appear and offer explanations to their satisfaction.

When the senior advocate sought the court to permit Geethalakshmi to appear before I-T officials on Monday in view of the intervening weekend, the judge said that the plea could not be entertained at all. Facing dismissal, counsel sought permission to withdraw the petition. It was then dismissed as withdrawn.