Taxmen harassing us: Industrialists

Gabria asked the excise officials present at the meeting to withdraw the additional force. But Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (DETC) Parampal Singh turned down the request,as he said: “The force has been deployed according to the norms and it is not to threaten anyone. We will continue to take their help because industrialists attack our officers at times and keep them in illegal detention.”

Sidhu said: “We always take a team of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and gunmen for our personal security. We will continue to do that to save ourselves. No extra help from the Punjab Police is sought. And the industrialists have not been threatened at all. The allegations are baseless.”

The industrialists said industry association representatives be taken along during raids and inspections,a suggestion turned down by the department. Gabria supported the industrialists,but the DETC said they had not taken any decision on the issue till now.

The issue of a list of 779 industrialists making rounds of the Ludhiana markets was also discussed. Apparently,these industrialists are the top tax evaders against whom the department is planning action.

According to allegations of the industrialists,many excise and taxation officials and inspectors are threatening them by showing this list. Thousands of copies of the list have been made and circulated in the market,which has spread panic. Parampal Singh,however,said: “This is not an official list and if any officer is making use of this,industrialists should complain to us. We will take action against the officer.”

Singh did not deny that the list might have been leaked out of his office.

The industrialists also complained that an ETO,Pawanjit Singh,had employed a few people under him who were harassing them by calling them up. The DETC said he was not aware of the matter and would take up the issue with the officer concerned.

Mehra said the department was troubling many industrialists who received bogus bills by mistake.