New Delhi, January 9: Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia had 'escaped' incomes of Rs 300 crore in 2011-12 and their tax liability is around Rs 100 crore, according to an income tax (IT) order passed after reassessing the Congress leaders' incomes relating to Associated Journals Ltd. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia had 'escaped' of Rs 155.41 crore and Rs 154.96 crore respectively, said the order.

The IT department passed the assessment order against Rahul, Sonia and Oscar Fernandes on December 31 after reassessing their income for the year 2011-12. The department on Monday informed the Supreme Court that the assessment order has been passed but not being given effect. The top court allowed the assessment order to be placed on record but said that it would not form any opinion on the merits of the case on its basis. National Herald Case: Supreme Court Asks Sonia And Rahul Gandhi to File Affidavit; Next Hearing on January 29.

A bench of Justices AK Sikri, S Abdul Nazeer and MR Shah also asked Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to file an affidavit and place on record in four weeks a CBDT circular which was issued on December 31, 2018, to clarify about taxes on valuations, but was recalled on January 4. The court asked the Income Tax department to file its reply to the affidavit and the circular to be filed by the Congress leaders within a week thereafter.

The Gandhis and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes have challenged the Delhi High Court's September 10 verdict which dismissed their plea against the re-assessment of their tax for 2011-12. The Income Tax probe against the Congress leaders has arisen from the investigation into a private criminal complaint filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy before a trial court here in connection with the National Herald case.

According to the IT department, Rahul Gandhi has shares in Young India which would lead him to have an income of Rs 154 crore in 2011-12. However, the Congress chief had filed a return of income declaring Rs 68.12 lakh for the assessment year. (With agency inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 09, 2019 09:17 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).