Rs 10,000 cr tax-evasion scam: Haryana Lokayukta recommends filing of FIR

The Haryana Lokayukta, Justice Pritam Pal (retd), on Wednesday recommended, to the state government, that a criminal case should be lodged against the government officials, property developers, builders and others who are allegedly responsible for the Rs 10,000 crore tax evasion scam in the state.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by IGP rank officer Shrikant Jadhav, had submitted its report on the scam to the Lokayukta this January. The report had indicted several real estate giants, prominent persons and officials of Excise and Taxation Department and estimated the loss to be over Rs 10,618 crore.

The SIT had even questioned the conduct of certain senior officials of the Haryana Excise and Taxation Department, accusing them of having tried to hamper in the investigation. On Wednesday, the Lokayukta also recommended a departmental inquiry against the government officers allegedly involved.

Reacting to the recommendations, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar told the media that the government will examine the matter and proceed as per provisions of the law. “We shall act according to the recommendation made by Lokayukta and the report submitted by the SIT,” Khattar said here.