VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, April 7: The cargo ship accident in the river Ganga in Sahibganj district has opened a can of worms. The Income Tax Department is understood to have slapped a notice on the Sahibganj-based cooperative society to disclose the source of the money which was used to get tender of the interstate ferry service between Katihar (Bihar) and Sahibganj.
Out of Rs 8.52 crore the Samiti under the question ‘Sahibganj Nav Yatayat Sahyog Samiti Limited’ claimed to have paid Rs. 5.72 crore in cash.
This Samiti was the highest bidder in the said auction that took place on March 14 at the Katihar district collectorate office. The contract was awarded to this Samiti on the payment of Rs 8.52 crore. Under the rule, it has to deposit the same amount, the next year also. The ferry service operates between Samda ghat (Sahibganj) and Manihari ghat (Katihar).
As per the agreement, Bihar and Jharkhand auction ghats on a rotational basis for a period of two years. This year was the turn of the Bihar government.
After getting the contract for the ferry service, the Samiti is claimed to have made all deposits to the Bihar government in cash except Rs 2.40 crore which were paid through two demand drafts issued by the State Bank of India through demand draft numbers 337961 and 337961. The Lagatar24. com is in possession of the documents (receipts of payments) that clearly indicate that payments were made in cash by Samiti. These part payments in cash are Rs. 281865, Rs.318135, Rs. 4.26 crore, and Rs 1.40 crore.
The Income Tax has asked the Samiti to explain the source of such a large amount. Notably, this Samiti established in 1968 doesn’t have a PAN Card. When contacted, Hulas Choudhary who heads this Samiti said that money was borrowed from 84 fishermen who are the members.
“The Samiti borrowed Rs 2.85 Crore from a local private company Singhvahini Transport. The Samiti doesn’t have a PAN card but about 10 days back we applied for a PAN card. There is no ambiguity in the transaction and payments. I have not received any notice so far,” he said.
Asked why the Samiti decided to make the payment in cash, he said that the Bihar government had made the provision for cash payment also. He remained silent on whether he paid the registration fee worth Rs 68 lakh in cash only.
The Samiti hogged the limelight in the last month when the cargo ship carrying stones-chips laden trucks from Sahibganj to Katihar met with an accident. The BJP alleged the stone chips were illegally sent to Bihar through cargo ships and mining mafias illegally operated a ferry ghat called Garam ghat. The Samiti has been managing interstate ferry services on the river Ganga for the past two years.
