Congress candidate from Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal gets income tax summons

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], March 21 (ANI): The Income Tax Department has sent summons to Congress candidate from Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat Ganesh Godiyal asking him to appear in person at its office in Thane in Maharashtra on March 22.
Godiyal received the notice from the I-T department on Tuesday.
Speaking to ANI, Ganesh Godiyal said that the Income Tax department has sent three notices to him, his wife and his firm on March 19, asking them to appear at the Income Tax office in Thane, Maharashtra, on March 22 at 11.30 am.
"We have some previous Income Tax cases that are now pending in the court. Now, just at the time of elections, pressure is being created by making new cases," he added.
Congress leader Godiyal is contesting Lok Sabha elections against BJP's Anil Baluni from Pauri Garhwal constituency.
Accusing the BJP of trying to hamper the election campaign of the opposition Congress owing to a tough challenge from him in the Pauri Garhwal Lok Sabha seat, Godiyal said he has been summoned by the IT department with the intention not to let him focus on the coming polls.
"How can I go there? I am contesting the elections. I have sent an application through my lawyer, and if the government insists, they can arrest me. But until the election is over here, I do not want to get involved in such matters," he added.
Meanwhile, Anil Baluni kicked off his campaign in the seat with a massive roadshow. Baluni who heads the media wing of the BJP had been a Rajya Sabha member. He is confident of victory from the seat.
"There is a mantra of development in the entire country. We've to make 'Viksit Uttarakhand' and 'Viksit Garhwal' and create employment opportunities for the youth. Uttarakhand and Garhwal have to be declared as ideal areas" Anil Baluni said.
Lok Sabha elections in Uttarakhand are scheduled to take place on April 19, as per the Election Commission of India.
This election will be held in a single phase, covering all constituencies. The BJP won from all the parliamentary constituencies in the state in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections.
There are 5 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttarakhand, including Almora, Garhwal (Pauri), Haridwar, Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar, and Tehri Garhwal. (ANI)