I-T appraisal report pegs Moin Qureshi’s tax evasion at Rs 200 crore

It has now sent it for final tax assessment after which the businessman and his firms will be issued notices, they said.

“The appraisal report has pegged the tax evasion by Qureshi’s firms to be about Rs 200 crore in the last two years. However, this is just an analysis report and the final legal notice for the evasion will be sent by the central wing of the department after assessment,” a senior I-T official said.

Qureshi did not respond to repeated calls and messages sent to his mobile phone.

According to I-T procedures, after the investigations wing of the department prepares an appraisal report in a tax evasion case, it subsequently sends its findings to the central directorate which then issues the final notice to the assessee.

The sources said the case in which searches were conducted in February this year, pertains to alleged “under reporting” of profits by Qureshi’s firms which are primarily involved into meat processing, selling and exporting businesses.

An appraisal report submitted by the I-T department to the apex court last week on Qureshi said there are “astonishing” state of affairs between him and a previous CBI Director.

It said Singh allegedly used to have conversation with the businessman on a daily basis in code on issues including helping accused in some cases.

Although Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi did not name the ex-CBI Director, but the reference was seen as towards A P Singh as the top law officer said the former agency chief is now a member of UPSC.

Mentioning some details of the I-T report, which he claimed was only a “trailer and the real movie is awaited”, Rohatgi said the former director allegedly used to have conversation with Qureshi on a daily basis in code through BlackBerry Messenger service on issues including helping accused in some cases.

Rohatgi said the taxman had raided Qureshi after his conversations with others were tapped and on the basis of the raid the appraisal report was prepared which is not a statutory document but an analysis.

The report, running in four volumes, was prepared on the basis of documents and material seized by the department. It was placed in a sealed envelope before a bench comprising justices Madan B Lokur, Kurien Joseph and A K Sikri.

The bench said it will go through the report and documents placed by the AG and hold the next hearing on December 8.