EOW Initiates Preliminary Inquiry into Shiv Sena's Cheating and Forgery Allegations

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the city has initiated a preliminary inquiry into allegations of cheating and forgery made by Shiv Sena against functionaries of Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT). The complaint suggests that these individuals misused login credentials to file TDS and income tax returns for the July-September 2023 quarter, despite the Election Commission recognizing another faction as the authentic Shiv Sena.

Shiv Sena filed a complaint on January 30, accusing UBT members of impersonating party leaders and filing returns without authorization. The EOW has now reached out to the Income Tax department and banks, seeking details of the filed returns and account transactions. Additionally, they are investigating potential cash withdrawals and financial transactions between accounts.

According to the complaint, the accused, who were former office-bearers handling bank accounts before the party split, were asked to provide login details for submitting returns through the Income Tax department website. However, the complaint alleges that these individuals fraudulently used passwords and login IDs to file returns without proper authorization, constituting acts of theft, forgery, and cheating.

The complaint calls for legal action, including charges of cheating, forgery under the IPC, identity theft, and other violations under the Information Technology Act. The EOW's general cheating unit, overseeing the preliminary inquiry, is currently awaiting responses from the Income Tax department and banks.