CHENNAI: The Madras high court has permitted the income tax department to array legal heirs of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa as party respondents in a wealth tax case pending against her since 2008.
A division bench of Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaiq granted two weeks to the department to add J Deepa and J Deepak, legal heirs of Jayalalithaa as parties to the case.
“Also ascertain whether any other petition claiming legal heirship is pending before any court,” the bench said.
The issue pertains to an appeal moved by the income tax department challenging the decision of the income tax appellate tribunal in connection with proceedings moved by the department for recovery of wealth and income tax arrears to the tune of over 16 crore.
The department had informed the court that the former chief minister’s Poes Garden residence ‘Veda Nilayam’ and other properties have been attached in connection with the tax arrears.
When the plea came up for hearing, counsel for the department submitted that so far, the department could not ascertain the actual legal heirs of Jayalalithaa and now since the high court has declared Deepa and Deepak as her legal heirs they can be added as party respondents.
Recording the submissions, the court directed the department to file appropriate memos to add them as parties to the case and adjourned the hearing after two weeks.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/include-jayalalithaas-heirs-in-wealth-tax-case-madras-hc-to-i-t-dept/articleshow/88134809.cms
