I-T dept issue notice to ex-CBI chief, wife in Moin Qureshi probe

Both have been asked to furnish details pertaining to their personal finances and transactions

The Income Tax department has issued notices to former CBI Director AP Singh and his wife in connection with the probe into a case against Delhi-based meat exporter Moin Akhtar Qureshi for alleged tax evasion.

The investigation wing of the department has asked Singh, who is at present a member of Union Public Service Commission, and his wife to furnish details pertaining to their personal finances and transactions.

The notice has been issued under Section 131 of the I-T Act (powers regarding discovery, production of evidence) and Singh and his wife have been asked to provide details of their Income tax returns, high-value transactions, credit card information and bona fide data on properties and assets owned since 2009.

Besides, the two have been also asked to provide details of their foreign visits in the past three years, sources said.

While the former CBI chief was not immediately available for comments, sources close to him said he would be sending the relevant information soon to the tax authorities.

The former CBI chief's name was first linked to the case after the I-T department found that an office property taken on rent by Qureshi's firm was owned by Singh's mother. The said property is located in a posh location in the national capital.

The department, sources in the Income Tax department and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said, is also in possession of telephonic and other mobile phone-based communication between Qureshi and Singh.

"The notices have been issued as Singh's financial details are required in the interest of the investigation," sources said.

A Doon school alumnus, 57-year-old Qureshi has been under the I-T department's scanner for several months now for alleged tax evasion with sleuths claiming that the turnover of his companies was 'under-reported'.

In a series of searches by the I-T department at various premises purportedly linked to Qureshi, tax sleuths so far claim to have frozen Rs 20 crore in cash and jewellery along with deposits in bank accounts.