MGR medical University VC seeks quashing of IT summons

Chennai, Apr 10 : The vice chancellor of Tamil Nadu MGR Medical University today moved the Madras High Court seeking annulment of the Income Tax Departments summons to her over a tax evasion probe.

The IT Department had issued summonses yesterday to the Universitys Vice Chancellor Dr S Geethalakshmi besides Health Minister C Vijayabhaskar and actor politician Sarath Kumar, asking them to appear before it today to join the probe.

Income Tax sleuths had conducted searches at her home on April 7 and completed the exercise on April 8.

The raid at the premises of the VC was over allegations related to "some transfers."

Dr Geethalakshmi said the IT summons seeking her appearance before the IT Department today was not as per Section 131 of the Income Tax Act as no mention was made about the IT Act proceedings in it and hence the summons was not valid legally.

She further argued that as no probe was pending against her, the issue of summons under the above section amounted to "non-application of mind" by the IT officials.

Claiming that the penal provisions can be invoked only in case of failure to produce documents required by the officials, she said nothing was mentioned about the production of documents required by the Department.

Dr Geethalakshmi also said the searches had commenced at 6 AM on April 7 and was completed only at 6.30 PM the next day.

The summons were issued on April 7 before the searches were completed and hence not valid under law, she said. PT