The Gujarat CID-Crime has registered three separate FIRs against Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) over allegations of a political donation arrangement that the Income Tax Department says involved purported bogus donations and tax-related irregularities.
The FIRs were registered by the CID Crime, Gandhinagar Zone, on September 25, following complaints from Income Tax officials. According to the complaints cited in the FIRs, the three parties were allegedly involved in donations totalling nearly ₹1,870 crore, with the estimated impact on the government exchequer put at more than ₹560 crore.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Gujarat CID registers three FIRs over alleged bogus political donations.
Location: Gujarat / Gandhinagar CID Crime.
Authority/Organisation: Gujarat CID-Crime and Income Tax Department.
Action Taken: Three FIRs registered on September 25 following Income Tax complaints.
Impact: The complaints allege nearly ₹1,870 crore in purported donations and more than ₹560 crore in estimated loss to the exchequer.
The parties named in the FIRs are Bharatiya National Janata Dal (BNJD), Swatantrata Abhivyakti Party (SAP), and Garib Kalyan Party (GKP). Several party office-bearers and chartered accountants have also been named as accused.
The largest allegation concerns BNJD, which the FIR says received approximately ₹1,143.85 crore from 56,238 donors, with an alleged tax loss of nearly ₹343 crore. SAP is alleged to have received around ₹519 crore, linked to an estimated ₹155 crore loss, while GKP is alleged to have received approximately ₹206.76 crore, with the alleged loss estimated at around ₹62 crore.
According to the Income Tax complaints described in the FIRs, taxpayers allegedly transferred money to the political parties through banking channels and received donation receipts that could be used to claim deductions under Section 80GGC of the Income Tax Act.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Political donations involve both electoral transparency and tax compliance. The allegations in the Gujarat FIRs therefore bring together questions concerning political funding, financial documentation and tax deductions. The case will now depend on the evidence collected by investigators. At this stage, the figures and alleged modus operandi are allegations contained in the complaints and FIRs, rather than findings of guilt. What
The FIRs further allege that the money was subsequently routed through intermediary or shell entities, with purported commissions deducted before the remaining amount was allegedly returned to donors in cash.
Police have registered the cases under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to offences including cheating, criminal conspiracy, forgery and use of forged documents.
Gujarat Police said the Income Tax Department's complaints followed scrutiny and investigations conducted over an extended period. Investigators are now expected to collect documentary and forensic evidence and examine the role of individuals and entities named in the complaints.
The investigation is at the FIR stage. The allegations against the political parties, office-bearers, accountants and other individuals will be subject to investigation and the judicial process.
