IT serves notice to PDP MLA Waheed Para in Kashmir, seeks books of accounts

The Income Tax department has served notice to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.

Para, 37, has been summoned to the I-T office in Srinagar on December 20. Para, however, received the notice on December 22. Parra has been asked to submit his books of accounts.

“Give evidence and produce either personally or through an authorised representative the books of account or other documents and not to depart until you receive my permission to do so,” the notice read, according to reports.

The notice to Para, Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Pulwama in South Kashmir, has been issued under Section 131 of the Income Tax Act. The case pertains to verification of the affidavit filed by Parra during Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections, 2024.

The provision also allows the tax authorities to seek books of accounts and financial documents to be brought by the notice or be sent through their authorised representative.

According to data submitted to the Election Commission of India after the assembly elections, Para said he had spent a little over ₹14 lakh on electioneering.

Of this, ₹12 lakh was received from individuals, companies, firms or associations as loans, gifts and donations.

In his election affidavit, Para informed that the total value of his moveable and immovable assets was more than ₹2.5 crore, including inherited agriculture land of ₹2 crore.

“I will attend and respond to the summons but I want to clarify there is nothing against me and I have faced multiple investigations till now and there is nothing. But these investigations are endless,” Para was quoted as saying in The Hindu.

Para contested Lok Sabha election 2024 from Srinagar but lost. He is out on bail after spending two years in jail.

Para out on Bail

Para was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 25, 2020, a day after he filed his nomination for the District Development Council elections from Pulwama.

He was granted bail by an NIA court in January 2021. As he was stepping out of jail, the Counter Intelligence (Kashmir) wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested him on the same charges.

I will attend and respond to the summons but I want to clarify there is nothing against me and I have faced multiple investigations till now and there is nothing. But these investigations are endless.