The Congress party in Delhi announced that their accounts, along with those of the Youth Congress, have been frozen by the Income Tax department in the lead-up to the forthcoming elections.

During a press conference in Delhi, the party's treasurer, Ajay Maken, revealed that they are currently unable to spend any money, pay electricity bills, or even pay their employees' salaries. He warned that all political activities, including the Nyay Yatra, would be affected.

He further shared that they discovered yesterday that the banks were not honoring their cheques. Upon further investigation, they found out that the Youth Congress's bank accounts had been frozen as well.

Congress
Image : India Today

Income Tax department demands Rs 210 crore from Youth Congress and Congress party

Maken also disclosed that the Congress party's accounts had been seized. The Income Tax department has demanded a recovery of Rs 210 crore from both the Youth Congress and the Congress party. The funds they had raised through crowdfunding in their accounts have also been frozen. Maken equated the freezing of the opposition's accounts just two weeks before the elections to freezing democracy itself.

Media reports suggest that the Congress party found out about the freezing of the accounts only yesterday. The party's lawyer, Vivek Tankha, stated that a total of four accounts have been affected. Banks have also been directed not to accept any cheques from the Congress, as the frozen accounts are to be submitted to the IT department.

Maken questioned the timing of the freezing of the accounts. He pointed out that during the election year of 2018-19, the party had submitted its accounts 45 days late, but freezing the accounts was a drastic action.

He also raised concerns about the timing of the freezing of the accounts, calling it a suspicious move just before the general elections. He suggested that the timing of the freeze, which comes just before the crucial general elections, raises questions about the motives behind the actions of the Income Tax department.

Following the Supreme Court's landmark judgment striking down the electoral bonds scheme, the Congress party suffered another blow with the freezing of its accounts. The electoral bonds scheme, which was introduced by the government in 2018 to replace cash donations and promote transparency in political funding, was invalidated by the highest court.

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