Chennai, April 15: The Madras High Court has directed the Income Tax Department to conduct a preliminary investigation into alleged discrepancies in Udhayanidhi Stalin’s asset declarations ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, instructed the Director General of Income Tax (Investigation) to submit a report to the court by April 20. This petition was filed by R. Kumaravel, a resident of the Chepauk-Thiruvallikkeni constituency, where Udhayanidhi Stalin is contesting again.
Senior advocate V. Raghavachari, representing the petitioner, argued that a comparative analysis of the affidavits submitted by Stalin during the 2021 Assembly elections and the current elections revealed several inconsistencies.
According to the petitioner, these discrepancies include the disappearance of previously declared assets, incorrect details of financial transactions, and inconsistencies between electoral affidavits and corporate documents.
Advocate Niranjan Rajagopalan, representing the Election Commission of India, clarified that while candidates are required to provide complete and truthful information as per Supreme Court directives, returning officers do not have the authority to independently verify the accuracy of each declaration during the nomination process.
He noted that Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, prescribes penalties for false declarations, which may include imprisonment for up to six months, fines, or both. However, such actions typically follow due legal process after elections.
The petitioner contended that the aim was not to initiate criminal proceedings but to ensure that voters are informed of candidates’ accurate financial details before voting. The court has adjourned the case until April 20, pending the Income Tax Department’s report.
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