I-T Dissatisfied With Returns Filed By Laloos Wife

The Income-Tax (I-T) authorities, probing the assets of Bihar Chief Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav and his family members have expressed dissatisfaction over the returns filed by his wife Rabri Devi and asked her lawyer to file proper documents relating to her assets within a fortnight.

Sources said that Vishwanath Naik, the lawyer of Rabri Devi, who appeared before the Income-Tax commissioner on Wednesday following a directive, had been asked to present the details of her assets and property within 15 days as his clients reply was found to be unsatisfactory. The sources said that the request of her lawyer to grant at least a months time for the purpose was also turned down.

To regularise and update the income-tax returns of Rabri Devi for the period between 1986 and 1996, her lawyer had filed relevant documents last month.

The Chief Ministers wife, while showing her income from agricultural and dairy production, had paid Rs 2.73 lakh by way of income tax for the period and requested for a waiver of fine. The sources said that the income-tax commissioner was examining the matter.

According to the sources, the investigation wing of the department has forwarded its report to the assessment wing for evaluation of the assets and property owned by the Chief Minister himself.

The Chief Minister had filed his income-tax returns a few months ago.

The sources said that the department had already started the process of evaluating Yadavs assets.

Meanwhile, irate Janata Dal supporters yesterday disrupted air and rail traffic in the state capital to protest against the Central Bureau of Investigations reported move to file chargesheets against top politicians and bureaucrats for their alleged involvement in the multi-crore fodder scam.

Airport authorities here said that ruling party activists led by its state president Kamal Paswan staged a dharna on the tarmac as a result of which flight 809 from New Delhi to Ranchi had to overfly Patna.

Police sources said that air services were delayed for a few hours, but later resumed after the airstrip was cleared of the demonstrators.

Angry Janata Dal supporters demanding removal of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) joint director (east) U N Biswas from the investigation team for leaking details of examination of the Chief Minister in violation of the service code, disrupted rail traffic for several hours at the Patna Junction.

Police sources said that the tracks were later cleared and traffic resumed after theJanata Dal supporters were removed.

The Janata Dal supporters also blocked the entrance of the Income-Tax building for some time in the morning, but the blockade was lifted following the intervention of district authorities.