CBI court allows I-T Dept to quiz Gautam Khaitan for 3 days in jail

A Special CBI court on Monday allowed the Income Tax (I-T) Department to interrogate lobbyist Gautam Khaitan in jail for three days.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed the I-T Department to quiz Khaitan on March 19, 20 and 22 from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.

Advocate Aneesh Dhingra, appearing for I-T Department, informed the court: "We have already filed five complaints against him under I-T Act since 2013 and issued several summons to him."

Khaitan's counsel Advocate Pramod Dubey had opposed the plea filed by the I-T Department, saying that I-T has not mentioned anything about the case.

I-T Department had approached the court to question Khaitan in an income tax case in judicial custody (Tihar Jail) to record his statement.

"Many of these pieces of evidence show tax evasions and that he has to be questioned regarding this and stashed black money," the Income Tax Department had contended.

On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate attached properties of lawyer Gautam Khaitan located in New Delhi, Haryana and UK worth Rs 8.46 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In February, the Patiala House Court had issued a production warrant against Khaitan in AgustaWestland case. Enforcement Directorate had told the court that some reports are awaited from the MHA regarding other accused like Guido Haschke and Carlos Gerosa. The Patiala House Court had adjourned the hearing for May 9.