Government targets Team Anna, claims Rs9-lakh dues from Kejriwal

The government has started a fresh smear campaign against the anti-corruption crusaders with the income tax department slapping a notice claiming over Rs9 lakh damages from Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal for violation of band conditions.

The notice said Kejriwal had violated the terms of his IRS service bond and until he cleared the Rs9.27 lakh penalty for violation of bond rules, his resignation from the Indian Revenue Service in 2006 will not be accepted.

The chief commissioner of income tax had, on 5 August, issued notice to Kejriwal, asking him to clear dues of Rs9.27 lakh for alleged breach of bond clauses under which he went for a study leave for two years.

Team Anna has slammed the notice and said such political moves needed to be dealt with in a different way and Anna Hazare said he would have to chart out a different course if the government continued with its victimisation of anti-corruption activists.

"We will have to think of a different course of action if the government continues to engage in such things," he said at a felicitation at the gram sabha of his village.

"He (Kejriwal) has devoted himself to the service of the society. Like me, he does not have any bank balance. He could have made lakhs. I have seen him from very close. What the government is doing is not right," Hazare said.