New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh complaining that he had been wrongly slapped with a recovery notice of Rs.9.27 lakh by the tax authorities. He enclosed a cheque for the amount and said he was depositing it ‘under protest’.
He wrote he had been penalised even though he had not violated service rules in availing study leave while he was working as an IRS officer.
Kejriwal wrote that he was enclosing a cheque of Rs.9.27 lakh under protest and requested for the early acceptance of his resignation.
‘I do not know my fault so there is no question of accepting it. I am depositing the amount under protest. I will be grateful if you advise the finance ministry to accept my resignation at the earliest,’ Kejriwal said.
He said that he had a right to move court to recover the money once his resignation was accepted.
Kejriwal said he tried to explain to the authorities in the past five years that he had not violated rules but they were ‘not ready to understand’.
The Income Tax authorities in August issued a notice to Kejriwal asking him to pay Rs.9.27 lakh claiming that he had violated the bond under which he went on study leave for two years between 2000-02.
Kejriwal, who was given a fresh notice last month, said he had been given less time to respond.
The activist, who was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for emergent leadership in 2006, said: ‘I have been told that my file was also considered in the prime minister’s office and I have been found guilty.’
He said to pay the money he took a loan from people whom he had known for several years.
‘The whole government machinery is after members of Team Anna. I request you with folded hands that your government should not trouble people who had given me loan,’ Kejriwal said.
