The Congress party has approached the Delhi High Court after the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) rejected its plea against penalties for discrepancies in certain tax returns. Senior advocate Vivek Tankha brought the matter before a bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.
Tankha emphasised the urgency of the issue, noting that the party's accounts have been frozen. Acting Chief Justice Manmohan agreed to expedite the case's hearing during the day if the petition is found to be in order.
Last week, the ITAT dismissed the Congress' appeal regarding penalties imposed for discrepancies in tax returns from previous years. The party had earlier described the IT tribunal's order to freeze its funds as an "attack on democracy," particularly concerning its timing just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Sources reveal that the tribunal rejected the Congress' appeal against penalties totaling Rs 210 crore imposed by the Income Tax department. The party now seeks legal recourse to challenge these penalties and address the freezing of its accounts.