IT seeks expense details of Lalu's Parivartan rally

The Income Tax (IT) department has served a notice to Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), seeking details of expenses incurred during the party's Parivartan rally held here May 15, an official said Friday.

"The IT department wants to know about all the expenses incurred in connection with the (RJD's) rally," said Prashant Bhusan, an IT department official.

The details sought include payments made to contractors, railways, transporters, catering service providers, besides the money spent on banners, flags, hoardings, posters and temporary shelters erected for those who attended the rally.

Billed as the Privartan rally (transformation rally), Lalu Prasadorganised it laregly to whip up public opinion against the government of Chief Minister Nitish Kunmar and to launch his two sons, Tejaswi and Tej Pratap, in politics.

Senior RJD leader Ram Kirpal Yadav said that he was not aware about the IT department notice. "I have no information about the notice," he said. He, however, added that if such a notice has been served, the party would provide all the details sought.

The RJD had booked 13 special trains, hundreds of buses and other vehicles to ferry its supporters to Patna for its Parivartan rally.

Last year, the IT department had served a similar notice to the Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United in connection with its Adhikar rally held in the city Nov 4.