The Income Tax (I-T) department froze the bank account of Mahila Utkarsh Pratishthan trust headed by
Shiv Sena (CM
Eknath Shinde camp) MP Bhavna Gawali for a Rs 8.26 crore tax demand.
I-T issued a notice to the branch manager of a nationalised bank at Wasim where the trust has its account.
The I-T notice asked the bank that Rs 8.26 crore tax was due on the trust for three assessment years ( between 2013-16).
I-T under section 226 (3) has directed the bank to ``pay immediately any amount due by you or held by you on account of the said defaulter up to the amount of arrears shown above....'' The provision puts the onus on the person making the payment to deduct tax at source and furnish the certificate of tax deduction. This ensures that the tax is deducted at source and paid to the government in a timely and efficient manner.
Earlier the I-T investigation wing had summoned the trustees for explanation on tax evasion.
A couple of years ago, the I-T had reopened returns of Gawli and the trust after fresh evidence indicated suppression of income. It was based on the FIR that Gawali had filed against some former office bearers of her trust, the I-T had reopened the assessment case. In the FIR, she accused others of cheating Rs 18 crore from the trust and also forcibly taking away Rs 7 crore cash that was kept in the trust’s office.