The Income Tax department has sent a notice to Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice Sanjay Shirsat, seeking an explanation of the increase in his assets between the 2019 and 2024 assembly elections, reported PTI.
Sanjay Shirsat is the Aurangabad (West) MLA who belongs to the Shiv Sena led by deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. he stated that Shinde’s son, Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde, too had received a notice.
However, correcting himself later, he had no idea about Shrikant Shinde receiving any I-T notice.
On being asked about a viral video where he is heard talking about the I-T notice, Shirsat said, “Some people had filed a complaint against me with the Income Tax department, based on which I was issued a notice. I was supposed to respond on Wednesday, but requested for more time. I will give a proper response. Nothing wrong has been done.”
He added that the IT notice was about the rise in his declared assets between two elections, he said. “People think no action is taken against political leaders. This is not the case. I will reply to the notice legally,” the minister added.
“Some people complained and the Income Tax department took notice…..The system is doing its work and I have no problem with it. I am not under any pressure. I have received a notice, and even Shrikant Shinde received a notice from the Income Tax department,” the Shiv Sena leader said.
Later, claiming to have been misrepresented, he said, “I was here to inform about the I-T notice issued to me. Someone asked me a leading question about whether Shrikant Shinde also received a notice and is it part of political vendetta. However, my response was presented as I am informing people about Shinde receiving a notice. I want to clarify that I have no idea about whether the I-T department has issued a notice to Shinde.”
Viral clip:
Earlier in the day, a video clip of Shirsat’s speech at an event in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in which he spoke about an I-T notice, went viral. “Now, black money is not going to be useful. I am speaking for myself,” he is heard saying in the video.
He then went on to mention that he had received an Income Tax notice. “It is easy to earn money, but using it has become difficult. I have contacted my chartered accountant,” the Sena leader added. Recently, Shirsat and his son had faced allegations in the Maharashtra Legislative Council regarding a hotel deal.