Dabur's Pradip Burman seeks stay on proceedings in tax case

Dabur promoter Pradip Burman, whose name has cropped up in the blackmoney list, today moved a Delhi court seeking stay on the proceedings in two alleged tax evasion cases in which he has been made an accused.
73-year-old Burman, in his application, submitted that he has filed appeal in income tax tribunal against the assessment orders passed by the income tax officer and till the pendency of the appeal, the proceedings of these two cases be stayed.
Income Tax Department's counsel Brijesh Garg opposed the plea saying it was not maintainable and the appeal preferred by Burman against the assessment orders had no bearing on these two cases.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Devendra Kumar Sharma after hearing the arguments on the plea reserved the order for February 4.
Burman is facing prosecution in a complaint filed by IT Department alleging that he was holding foreign bank accounts which he had not disclosed in his income tax returns and there were undisclosed deposits in those two accounts.
Burman, in his plea, said despite the pendency of appeal against the assessment order passed by the IT officer, the department has initiated proceedings in furtherance of which he was summoned to appear before the court.

He said that in view of the pendency of appeal against the assessment order, it was imperative in the interest of justice that proceedings shall remain stayed during pendency of that appeal.

The court had earlier denied permission twice to Burman to go to Hong Kong to attend the 70th birthday party of his late brother's wife saying there was apprehension of IT department that he may flee from the jurisdiction of the court to such a jurisdiction from where he cannot be brought back.
He was earlier allowed twice to go abroad including London to attend his ailing younger brother.