I-T dept to question Raju on Feb 21

A local court here today allowed the Income-Tax department to interrogate disgraced Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju on February 21.

The sixth additional chief metropolitan magistrate allowed the I-T department, which had sought three days time to examine and record the statement of Raju, to question him on February 21.

The I-T department had pleaded that the assessment of Satyam Computer for 2007-8 was pending before the deputy commissioner of I-T for finalisation of assessment. Before the department could assess the income of the firm, Raju himself publicly admitted that he had inflated the company's accounts.

The I-T department had filed the petition under section 131 of Income Tax Act, which authorises the deputy commissioner to record the statement of Raju on the oath.

Earlier, the Sebi had interrogated and recorded the statement of Raju and his brother and Rama Raju for three days from February 4 in Chanchalguda Jail.