Ahmedabad: CID (Crime) on Thursday booked political figures, chartered accountants, and intermediaries in connection with an alleged Rs 843-crore tax deduction racket operated through a political entity, officials said.According to a complaint filed by an assistant commissioner of the income tax (I-T) in Ahmedabad, the Aam Janmat Party was allegedly used as a front to route funds through banking channels before returning the cash to donors after deducting a commission.The FIR names Aam Janmat Party national president Gaurav Mishra, treasurer Dharmendra Vaishnav, accountant Mayursinh Rathod, intermediary Dineshkumar Jain, and chartered accountants Pranav Shah and Akash Soni, among others.Donated funds were allegedly routed through entities including Prenit Corporation, Hashaz Corporation, Ayan Enterprises, and Shri Ramdev Enterprises before being withdrawn as cash. The scheme allowed donors to fraudulently claim tax deductions under Section 80GGC of the Income-Tax Act for the 2022–23 and 2023–24 financial years, causing an estimated loss of over Rs 250 crore to the govt exchequer.Investigators stated the party engaged in minimal genuine political activity and functioned primarily to generate bogus financial records. Expenses were fabricated under heads such as election campaigns and rallies without supporting vouchers, while auditing CAs allegedly certified fraudulent tax returns to facilitate the scam.
