Assets Case: "What Sealed Cover When All Details Already In Newspapers?" Justice Chelameswar To CBDT Lawyer

The final hearing in the case pertaining to amassing of wealth by MPs and MLAs began in Supreme Court with Justice J Chelameswar in a lighter vein asking the CBDT how content of  an affidavit "supposedly being filed in sealed cover" carrying details of all the MPs and MLAs was already in newspapers.

Justice Chelameswar said he had seen it almost all main newspapers and even in vernacular papers. Senior advocate Radhakrishnan then clarified that only the names of the MPs and MLAs were in sealed cover which has not been circulated in the media.

 THIS WAS THE PRECISE COURTROOM EXCHANGE:

Senior Adv Radhakrishnan for CBDT: "The affidavit has been filed in a sealed cover"

Justice Chelameswar: "What sealed cover? It's there in all papers including vernacular papers. Covered in detail. I read it in the morning. I am not objecting to it but I am amused"

Radhakrishnan: "No the identity of persons in the list not there. That has not leaked."

Four days after the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre and directed furnishing of details of action initiated against lawmakers, some of whose assets have jumped by over “500 per cent” between elections, the Central Board of Direct Taxes yesterday filed an affidavit saying there has been a substantial hike in the assets of seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs across the country and "discrepancies" have been found.

In an affidavit the CBDT said they have probed the allegations by NGO Lok Prahari which has sought disclosure of the sources of income by the candidates contesting elections when they file nomination for polls, regarding alleged increase in assets of 26 Lok Sabha and 11 Rajya Sabha MPs and 257 MLAs.

Preliminary assessment of another 42 MLAs is underway, the affidavit said.