45 koliwadas protest cluster development

Kolis fear that the state's new draft housing policy will open the door for developers, bringing an end to their traditional way of life

- Draupadi Rohera

SRINAGAR: The income tax department has served a notice to senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Jammu & Kashmir MLA Waheed Para to submit his books of accounts, officials said on Sunday.

Though, according to the notice, Para was scheduled to appear before the Income Tax authorities on December 20, he received the intimation on the same day.

While the Peoples Democratic Party leader – the MLA from Pulwama in south Kashmir – was not available for comment, his close aides said his representative would appear at the Income Tax office on Monday.

Para was served a notice under Section 131(1A) of the Income Tax Act that empowers a tax officer to seek information from taxpayers, even when no formal proceedings are pending.

The provision also allows the tax authorities to seek books of accounts and financial documents to be brought by the noticee or be sent through their authorised representative, as the case may be.

According to data submitted to the Election Commission after the assembly elections, Para said he had spent a little over ₹14 lakh on electioneering. Of this, ₹12 lakh was received from individuals, companies, firms or associations as loans, gifts and donations.

In his election affidavit, Para had informed that the total value of his moveable and immoveable assets was more than ₹2.5 crore, including inherited agriculture land of ₹2 crore.

Para is out on bail after spending two years in jail.

He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 25, 2020, a day after he filed his nomination for the District Development Council elections from Pulwama.

He was granted bail by an NIA court in January 2021. As he was stepping out of jail, the Counter Intelligence (Kashmir) wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested him on the same charges.