The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a slew of petitions filed by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Wadra, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and other charitable trusts challenging the Income Tax Department’s decision to transfer their tax assessments to the central circle.
A division court comprising Justice Manmohan and Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma dismissed the petitions and found that the transfer was legal.
However, the court clarified that it did not examine the matter on the merits.
Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Trust, Jawahar Bhawan Trust, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust, and Young Indian are among the charitable trusts whose petitions were also dismissed.
“The parties are free to raise their contentions before the appropriate statutory authority,” the bench added.
The court also stated that the transfer of their assessment to the Central Circle was for a coordinated investigation and upheld the orders passed by the IT authorities.
“In light of the foregoing observations, the writ petitions and pending applications are thus dismissed without no orders as to cost,” the court ruled.
The Gandhis and charitable trusts had challenged the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax’s order to transfer their cases for the assessment year 2018-19 to the Central Circle.
