Tax Officials To Reply On Newslaundry Plea Over Leak Of Seized Material
NDTV
The court has granted time to the tax department's counsel to seek instructions on giving an undertaking against any leak and asked that the concerned officer join the proceedings on the next date of hearing.
The Delhi High Court Friday sought Income Tax Department's stand on a plea by online news portal Newslaundry and its co-founder Abhinandan Sekhri to restrain any leakage of the material seized during a survey operation held earlier this month.
A bench of Justices Manmohan and Navin Chawla granted time to the department's counsel to seek instructions on giving an undertaking against any leak and asked that the concerned officer join the proceedings on the next date of hearing i.e. September 21.
"Ask your client (to join proceedings) so that we can close it then and there. Let him be by your side..If he gives a statement, we can put a quietus to the matter," said the bench to the lawyer who asserted that the fear of leak was a "bald apprehension".
Data of thousands of assessees is in safe custody of the department and it can be used only in accordance with law, said counsel for the department Ajit Shamra.
