Bhopal, Dec 10 (IANS): The Income Tax Department and the Special Investigation team (SIT) of Madhya Pradesh Police have come face to face over the transactions of money between various officials, politicians, others and the women accused in the infamous honeytrap scandal in the state.
The I-T has sought information from the SIT, which is investigating the financial transactions of the women accused. Evidence and information so far points to transaction of several crores rupees between the women accused and their 'victims'.
The Income Tax Department wants to investigate these transactions, but the SIT contends that the information can be shared only after the High Court order.
Alok Johri, Director of the Investigation Wing of the Income Tax Department said his office wrote to the SIT in September after the disclosure in the honeytrap case and sought information about the financial transactions of the accused.
The department sent a reminder to the SIT in November. Sources in the IT department said the SIT has not responded so far.
Johri said the department took suo moto cognizance on the basis of media reports. The department cannot investigate it at its level. It needs specific documents to investigate the case, which he has not yet received.
Cash worth Rs 47 lakh was found from the ICICI Bank locker of accused Shweta Vijay Jain. This locker was opened by SIT itself.
In the diary of accused Monika Yadav, some bureaucrats of Chhattisgarh had given Rs 2 crore to the Honey Trap Gang through Hawala in Goa.
Some diaries also mentioned about taking Rs 7 crores from two leaders in Chhattisgarh. The department had asked SIT to give more details to investigate these cases.
Recently, the Central Agency for Enforcement Directorate (ED) has asked the SIT for complete details of the money transactions.
The SIT chief Rajendra Kumar said that the cash recovered from the accused has been handed to the Income Tax Department.
He said the Income Tax Department wants the statement of transactions, which cannot be given without the order of the High Court because the investigation of the case is being done under the supervision of the Court. If the I-T authorities want more information, they will have to approach the High Court, Kumar said.