Will take legal action against Ramnad MP, I-T dept tells Madras HC

Chennai: The income tax department on Tuesday informed Madras high court that appropriate legal action will be initiated against Ramanathapuram MP K Navas Kani, based on the available material, on allegations of suppression of income and misrepresentation levelled against the MP.The department made the submission in response to a plea moved by advocate K Venkatachalapathy, seeking a direction to the I-T department to initiate action against Navas Kani. Recording the submission, the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan observed that the pendency of the petition will not hinder the actions of the department in any manner.
According to the petitioner, Navas Kani served as an MP from the Ramanathapuram constituency from May 2019 to May 2024 and was re-elected for the 18th Lok Sabha (2024-2029). He submitted affidavits to the 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. This disproportionate accumulation of wealth strongly suggests misuse of official position, misappropriation of public funds, and concealment of true income, which are serious violations of legal and ethical standards expected of elected representatives, he added.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !