Madras HC to I-T dept: Respond to plea seeking inquiry against IUML MP Navas Kani

Chennai: An advocate has moved Madras high court seeking direction to the directorate general of income tax (investigation) to conduct a proper inquiry and to initiate proceedings against member of parliament (MP) from Ramanathapuram constituency K Navas Kani for suppression of income and misrepresentation.Admitting the plea moved by advocate K Venkatachalapathy, the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the I-T department to respond to the plea in one week.
According to the petitioner, Navas Kani served as an MP from Ramanathapuram constituency from May 2019 to May 2024, and was re-elected for the 18th Lok Sabha (2024-2029). He submitted affidavits to Election Commission of India (ECI) in 2019 and 2024, disclosing his movable and immovable assets, income sources, and family details. "These affidavits reveal a disproportionately steep increase in assets compared to his declared income, which includes MP salary, rental income, and director's salary in a private firm, while his wife's income is limited to rental earnings," the petitioner said. An analysis of the affidavits and supporting financial data demonstrates that the total net surplus available for investment by the MP and his family during 2019-2023 was only 5.74 lakh after accounting for taxes, personal expenses, and loan repayments, he pointed out. Despite this, the family acquired movable and immovable assets worth 20.84 crores during the same period, indicating a vast disparity between declared income and actual asset growth. The petitioner claimed he made a detailed representation in this regard to the I-T department but, despite the complaint, no action was taken, he said.