Raids called off after CM’s intervention?
For past three days starting last Saturday the entire business community of Kashmir was on toes.This so happened after rumors started doing rounds that the Income Tax Department (IT) was planning massive tax raids across Kashmir Valley.
As soon as this bit of information went out, businessmen and traders all across the Kashmir valley started working in reverse and tried to set their accounts in order while at the same trying to ascertain more about the impending raids.
“ We were in complete panic. Tax man knocking at the door is never a pleasant thing. In Kashmir it only gets exaggerated”, said a top businessman who had also heard the rumours but did not wish to be named.
“ My company is fully compliant with all the tax laws and payments but if I tell you I was not worried, I would be lying”, the same businessman adds.
On Sunday another round of rumours started doing rounds that a plane load of IT sleuths was landing in Kashmir as it was supposed to be the biggest raid in recent times.
This rumour too sent the business community into tizzy. Reports from across valley confirm the there was lot of activity at major business addresses with some witnesses even reporting large scale torching of paper work.
On Sunday the Chief Minister’s office also got a whiff of the rumours and closely started monitoring the related developments.
Sources say that there was unanimity in the political class that any IT raid either in Jammu or Srinagar would be a huge loss of face for the Government.
To Income Tax departments credit they maintained to maintain iron clad secrecy in the entire build up and not a word got out of whats going to happen.
“A plane full of IT sleuths coming from Delhi was an exaggeration. Our officers flew to Kashmir but from Jammu. We did quite initial surveys in Srinagar and were all set swing into action on Monday”, a top IT officer told.
Reliable sources say that what the IT department had in mind finally became known to Government once IT authorities formally approached the state police for assistance.
In turn the CID wing of J&K Police immediately confirmed to the Chief Minister’s Office of the planned raids.
Sources further said that the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed immediately got into action and made a few phone calls to the highest levels and conveyed to them his displeasure at the timing of these raids. Mufti reportedly was of the opinion that the J&K economy was just beginning to pick up after last year’s floods and IT raids at this time would be seen in public as a breach of faith.
Finally after political intervention the IT department called of raids at the last moment but not before having a complete assessment of the booming real estate market especially the shopping complexes.
