IT dept serves showcause notice to Hasan Ali

The Income Tax department has issued showcause notice to India’s top tax evader Hasan Ali Khan, reports said on Friday.

The Income Tax tribunal reported asked the 54-year-old Ali to reply to their notice within 15 days. Ali reportedly had not paid his tax evasion penalty worth Rs 40,000 crore.

The move followed a day after the Supreme Court questioned the Centre?s delay in acting tough against black money hoarders and also ordered reinstatement of three important ED officials, who were transferred midway into a probe of alleged foreign exchange law violation by Pune businessman Hasan Ali Khan.

Taking serious note of the government?s failure to crack the whip on the offenders, a bench of justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijar said that it would appoint a special officer to supervise the probe if the government does not act fast.

On Khan?s case, the apex court bench questioned the government over reasons for failing to take him and other alleged offenders to custodial interrogation even though there was enough evidence against them.

?What is in the way of taking action against Hasan Ali? How many years will investigations continue against Ali?? the court questioned.

The Pune businessman is facing charges of stashing around USD 8 billion in foreign banks and had been earlier served tax notice for about Rs 50,000 crore.

The Supreme Court bench dismissed attempts by Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to make submissions, saying, ?What the hell is going on in this country.?

On the three key Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials transferred abruptly midway through the probe into black money hoarders, the court directed that they be reinstated immediately.

The government has been granted time till Tuesday to file its response, failing which the court would be constrained to pass necessary orders.