Congress veteran Abhishek Manu Singhvi (TOI file photo)

NEW DELHI: The income tax department has served a notice to Anita Singhvi, wife of Congress veteran Abhishek Manu Singhvi , for jewellery purchase of about Rs 6 crore from Nirav Modi , including Rs 4.5 crore allegedly paid in cash. The department had investigated cash sales of jewellery worth Rs 158 crore by Nirav's stores before the PNB swindle came to light.

The tax department has identified people who bought jewellery in cash through their permanent account number (PAN) provided at the time of purchase and is likely to serve notices to others as well. The I-T investigation unit in Mumbai had earlier carried out an exercise mapping PAN against people who had made cash buys from Nirav's stores, totalling Rs 94 crore. Identification of others through PAN is in progress.

Reacting to the I-T notice, Singhvi tweeted: "The I-T has sent a questionnaire which will be answered in accordance with law. All supporting documents will be produced." However, he asked if the I-T department had sent notices "to all others on that list or only one who happens to be in the Congress party".

He also asked whether the government would make public "whose computer was seized on which date and how many names on the list" had been found, apparently referring to computer data seized by the I-T department with details of cash sales by Nirav stores.

The Congress veteran said the "alleged unaccounted payments for jewellery purchase is not government's best response to the Rs 11,300 crore ghapla (scam) under its watch". The government must send the same notice to all "purchasers on this alleged list", he added.

"Purchases of jewellery allegedly in cash by my wife based on someone's computer entry are no evidence. All Rs 1.56 crore paid for fully in cheque and accounted for with receipts by India's highest taxpayer," Singhvi said. "I happen to be India's highest taxpayer in my category for many years and often even across categories. Purchases in cheque of large amounts all reflected in accounts. Harassment, innuendo, insinuation must have its limits."



In Video: Nirav Modi case: IT dept issues notice to senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi's wife