I-T dept searches liquor distributor's properties

The Income Tax department on Wednesday conducted searches on the properties of Uttar Pradesh-based liquor distributor and businessman Ponty Chadha on charges of tax evasion. The raids were conducted across Uttar Pradesh and 13 locations in Delhi, including at the posh Sainik Farms and Lajpat Nagar.

In UP, I-T teams comprising 200 officials, undertook similar operations at six locations in Noida, Moradabad and Lucknow.

Chadha, according to I-T sources, is in Dubai at present in connection with a family function.

The searches, which began at 10.30 in the morning, were initiated after the department got inputs regarding alleged tax evasion by companies associated with him, the sources said. The department, according to the sources, was also looking at the possibility of illegal sale of liquor by certain firms in the run up to the UP Assembly polls.

I-T sleuths also searched the properties of two of his alleged associates — Lalit Kapoor and Gurjeet Kochhar — in Delhi and is expected to question them about certain transactions.

The searches were conducted by the Delhi-based criminal investigation unit of the department and, according to the sources, they were related to the alleged mis-pricing of huge liquor consignments in the state and other places.

Sources said the department conducted the operation after gathering intelligence and other inputs about Chadha and his businesses in the last four months.

Chadha, who runs one of the largest liquor businesses in the state with numerous dealerships, also has business interest in cinema and multiplex sectors.