Ex-CBDT chief8217;s wife gets Noida land back on 8216;false claim8217;,probe ordered

And she was the only land owner to get her land back,even if only partly,among all those whose land was acquired during that particular acquisition process. The 900 sq m plot is currently valued at around Rs 20 crore after its use was converted to commercial from agricultural.

The alleged violation took place in 2010 when Mayawati was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Income-Tax department was investigating her alleged disproportionate assets and was also locked in a tax dispute with her parents and four brothers.

At that time,Chandra was Member Investigation of the Central Board of Direct Taxes CBDT,heading the department probing the assets case,and went on to become the CBDT chairman.

Reached for comment,Chandra told The Indian Express: By acquiring the 12,900 sq m land my wife owned for 30 years and giving back on lease 900 sq m,which is less than 7 per cent,she has been caused great injustice andmonetary loss. Therefore,there is no question of any favour done to my wife.

The disproportionate assets case against Mayawati was dropped by the Supreme Court in July 2012 based on a clean chit given by the Income-Tax department in August 2010 and October 2010 when Sudhir Chandra was CBDTs Member Investigation.

Also,a month before Chandra retired in May 2011,the Income-Tax department,through a process called abatement,began a final assessment of the income of Mayawatis family to decide on the penalty and prosecution in a 2007 tax dispute.

The process was completed in June 2011 and orders granting relief to Mayawatis family were passed. The family paid an additional tax of Rs 8.4 crore and settled its dispute.

Before abatement,the Income-Tax department had enhanced Mayawatis familys income to Rs 17.75 crore from the Rs 5.1 crore the family had declared and could have imposed a penalty of Rs 25 crore and also considered imprisonment.

The Noida land probe relates to 12,900 sq m of land spread over three plots owned by Renu Chandra in Salarpur Khadar village in Sector 107. Noida authorities acquired the plots along with others surrounding it in February 2010 for group housing projects. She was paid Rs 1.16 crore as compensation.

Chandra took over as CBDT Member Investigation in January 2009,became CBDT chairman on January 1,2011 and retired on May 31,2011. This period was marked by significant developments in the Income-Tax probe into Mayawatis alleged disproportionate assets that had been launched in 2003 and in her familys tax dispute.

On April 16,2010,Renu Chandra requested Noida authorities that her plots be exempted from the acquisition as she is a resident of the village and the plots are her only possession.

According to rules,land acquired in Noida can be leased back to its owners only if they are original residents of the area. When claims such as Renu Chandras are made,Noida authorities conduct a field investigation to validate them.

The field investigation report of Renu Chandras claim said: On the concerned land there is a boundary wall,one room and bathroom on the ground floor and one room and one bathroom in first floor.

However,with no action taken on the application,Renu Chandra filed a fresh application to the CEO of Noida on September 13,2010,seeking exemption from acquisition.

Four days later,on September 17,2010,a Noida sub-committee considered her application to exempt the 12,900 sq m of land across plot numbers 694,695 and 696 and decided to lease back 900 sq m of land to her. A recommendation to the effect was made to the Noida board and the 171st meeting of the board approved it on October 26,2010.

The 900 sq m was accommodated between a cluster of group housing colonies being developed by real estate firms. Moreover,it was divided equally between Renu and her son Anurag Chandra.

Noida authorities launched an investigation into the deal after it was found in December 2012 that Renu Chandra had allegedly falsely claimed that she was a resident of Salarpur Khadar.

According to revenue records,the residence of Shmt Renuka,wife of Sudhir Chandra,is E-396,Greater Kailash,New Delhi. But in their application they have mentioned their residence is Salarpur Khadar. Shmt Renu is not the resident of Salarpur Khadar, says a noting on a Noida authority file.

In September 2011,the CBI had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court alleging that there was a criminal nexus between Mayawati and her relatives and the disproportionate assets case against her cannot be closed on the basis of the conclusions of the Income-Tax department.

COURTING CONTROVERSY

Sudhir Chandra was CBDT chairman for only five months from January 1,2011 even though conventionally only a CBDT member with at least one year of service left before retirement is appointed to the post.

Besides heading a crucial financial agency,Chandra also emerged as a mediator between the government and Baba Ramdev before the yoga guru launched a campaign against black money. Chandra was criticised for his alleged role in taking a senior Cabinet delegation to meet Ramdev at the Delhi airport.

He was widely tipped to head the Committee on Black Money but ultimately didnt make the cut.

TAXING TIMES

Jan 2009: Sudhir Chandra takes over as Member Investigation of CBDT.

Sept 30,2009: Noida notifies plot numbers 694,695,696 covering 12,900 sq m in Salarpur Khadar village under Land Acquisition Act. Plots are owned by Renu Chandra,wife of Sudhir Chandra.

Feb 3,2010: Possession taken of the three plots.

April 16,2010: Renu Chandra files application to exempt her three plots from acquisition saying she lives there and they are her only possessions.

Aug 27,2010: IT Appellate Tribunal gives clean chit to Mayawati in one disproportionate assets case.

Sept 13,2010: Renu Chandra files another application to CEO,Noida,seeking her plots be exempt from acquisition.

Sept 17,2010: Noida sub-committee considers her application.

Sept 23,2010: Noida sub-committee recommends to Noida board that 900 sq m of 12,900 sq m owned by Renu Chandra be leased back to her.

Oct 22,2010: IT Appellate Tribunal gives clean chit to Mayawati in second disproportionate assets case.

Oct 26,2010: 171st meeting of Noida board approves recommendation of sub-committee to return 900 sq m of land to Renu Chandra.

Jan 1,2011: Sudhir Chandra becomes chairman of CBDT.

April 2011: IT dept starts process of abatement to conduct final assessment of income of Mayawatis family and decide on penalty and prosecution in tax dispute.

May 31,2011: Sudhir Chandra retires.

June 2011: IT dept completes abatement process and passes orders granting relief to Mayawatis family.