Income-tax department silent on action against Niira Radia

The income-tax department, which tapped multiple phone calls of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia that indicates a nexus between the industry, government, and the media on various issues, is silent on whether any action has been taken in this case.

When asked whether any action was taken or any show cause notice was issued after the interception of Radia's calls, an income-tax department spokesperson told DNA, "We will not talk about this as it is an ongoing investigation, and the matter is also sub judice [before the Supreme Court]".

About the legality of the interception, the I-T official said, "Anything that has been done is as per due process." He declined to comment on any other matter related to the phone tap, including the number of hours and days for which the lobbyist's conversation with business tycoons, government representatives and journalists was monitored.

A source, who refused attribution, pointed out that huge cash withdrawals from the bank accounts of the lobbyist and other high-value transfers prompted the I-T department to initiate the phone tapping. The process started after a tip-off by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the source added.

It is learnt that the I-T department had opted for a suo motu [on its own] phone tapping in this case, but it sought the permission of the ministry of home affairs (MHA). The ministry gave permission.

For the I-T department, phone interception of 'target subjects' in cases linked to suspected tax evasion is commonplace, a source pointed out. A department office located at Jhandenwalan is known for its expertise in this area. A few years ago, the I-T department had acquired world-class infrastructure to tap phone lines and capture digital data across any platform.