HC calls for IT records on firm purportedly linked to Karti

The Madras High Court today directed the income tax (IT) department to produce the records related to one of its orders last year, transferring the proceedings pending against a firm, allegedly linked to Congress leader P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram, from one assessing officer to another.
The court issued the directive when a plea filed by the Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited came up for hearing.
"The authorities are directed to produce the records pertaining to the impugned order of transfer and in particular, the reasons recorded for the transfer," a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice R Hemalatha said.

It then posted the matter for the next hearing on January 3.
Earlier, the company had filed a petition, challenging the June 24, 2016 notification issued by the principal commissioner of income tax, transferring its file from the assessing officer (AO), deputy commissioner of income tax (DCIT), corporate circle-(1) to the AO in central circle-(2) in Chennai.
Justice T S Sivagnanam had dismissed the petition on December 8, holding that there was no ground to interfere with the notification, following which the firm had filed the current plea, seeking the quashing of the transfer order.
In the petition, there is also an interim prayer for staying the operation of the transfer order.