Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court’s decision to transfer her assessment to the Central Circle.
On May 26, the Delhi High Court had upheld the Income Tax Department’s decision to transfer Gandhi assessment in a case related to arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari to the Central Circle instead of an ordinary assessment.
Gandhi had challenged the order of the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax to transfer her case for the assessment year 2018-2019 to the Central Circle in the High Court.
The Central Circle is responsible for combating tax evasion and takes charge of the evidence collected by the investigation wing during searches.
A division bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma while dismissing the plea stated that, “The assessment of petitioners have been transferred to the Central Circle in accordance with law and for the purpose of a coordinated investigation.”
The court clarified that the jurisdiction of the Central Circle is not limited to search cases and that no assessee has a fundamental or vested legal right to be assessed by a specific assessing officer. It further noted that it has not examined the merits of the controversy between the parties.
Priyanka Gandhi had opposed the transfer of her case, asserting that she has no connection to the cases involving Sanjay Bhandari.
Bhandari, who is wanted in India for money laundering charges, has allegedly been linked to Robert Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi’s husband, regarding a London-based flat. Vadra has denied any business ties with the accused.
