High Court Clears ED to Access Singh Family's Tax Records

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed petitions filed by former Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and his son, Raninder Singh. The court's decision permits the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to inspect an Income Tax department chargesheet, which accuses the Singhs of benefiting from undisclosed foreign assets, including a Swiss bank account.

Captain Amarinder Singh and his son contested that the ED's access violated the ''Agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation with France,'' arguing that the information supplied by the French government in 2011 should remain confidential. However, the high court found that the agreement allowed for disclosure in legal proceedings, countering the Singhs' confidentiality argument.

The I-T department initially filed a complaint in 2016 against the Singhs, citing false statements regarding foreign assets. Although the Singhs appealed against earlier orders granting the ED access to these documents, the high court concluded that the investigation should proceed, addressing concerns over unaccounted foreign funds potentially derived from criminal activities.

(With inputs from agencies.)