New Delhi: Team Anna has slammed the timing of the Income Tax department notices to one of its top members, Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to pay his dues but similar notices were issued to him in 2007 and 2008 too.
Kejriwal, who is in the midst of a controversy over payments due from him from the government for alleged violation of service norms, was issued notices by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (CCIT) Delhi for clearance of his dues of Rs 9.27 lakh on August 5.
The dues had accumulated over the alleged violation of bond clauses under which Kejriwal, an Indian Revenue Service officer, had gone abroad on study leave for two years between November 2000 and 2002.
When the Delhi CCIT had written to him in 2007 and 2008 for clearance of his dues, Kejriwal had responded that they may be waived.
The department issued a notice on August 5 eleven days before Anna Hazare was to launch his indefinite fast in the capital against corruption.
Kejriwal and other Hazare team members attacked the issuance of notice as part of governments "dirty tricks department" action and as one that came under instructions from political bosses.
Kejriwal has claimed that he did not "violate" any bond provisions and he had resigned from the job after the stipulated three years of rejoining duty after study leave.
However, the government had said it "will go by rules" while deciding the plea of the social activist.
"We will go by rules (in Kejriwal's case)," Minister of State for Personnel and Training V Narayanasamy said.
Income Tax department sources said Kejriwal was transferred to Chandigarh on promotion in March 2003 but he did not take up his posting as the Joint Commissioner of I-T and informed his superior authorities about his decision to resign.
The latest notice of August 5 to the activist had been sent after an RTI application was received by the Finance Ministry in February this year, enquiring the service status of Kejriwal as to whether he was still a government employee or not.
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