Congress treasurer Ajay Maken on Wednesday said the income tax department has undemocratically withdrawn ₹65 crore from the party’s accounts with different banks while the issue of Congress paying income tax is sub judice. “Is it common for National Political Parties to pay Income Tax? No. Does the BJP pay Income Tax? No. Why then is the Congress Party facing an unprecedented demand of ₹210 crores? During today’s ITAT proceedings, we presented our case. The hearing is set to continue tomorrow. The funds in question were raised through grassroots efforts, including crowdfunding and membership drives by the IYC and NSUI. This situation raises a crucial question about the state of democracy. Is it under threat?” Ajay Maken wrote on Twitter sharing details of how much amount has been withdrawn by the income tax from New Delhi’s Bank of Baroda, Union Bank of India, and Punjab National Bank.

Ajay Maken said while ₹60.25 crore has been taken out in the form of demand drafts from Congress’ three bank accounts, a sum of ₹5 crore has been withdrawn from the accounts of the Indian Youth Congress.

He said while the sum of ₹17.65 crore has been taken from the Bank of Baroda, K G Marg, Connaught Place branch; ₹41.85 crore from Union Bank of India, Connaught Place branch; and another ₹74.62 lakh from the Punjab National Bank account of the Congress party, totalling ₹60.25 crore.

This allegation of the income tax department withdrawing money from banks came after Congress’s main bank accounts were frozen on February 16 over an income tax demand of ₹210 crore. An I-T appellate tribunal later allowed the main account to function pending the hearing scheduled on Thursday.

Maken said the income tax department wrote to various banks to withdraw a sum of ₹65 crore from various accounts of the Congress and the Indian Youth Congress while the issue of income tax department’s claim of ₹210 crore as recovery for ‘discrepancies’ in the previous tax returns was sub judice.

Vivek Tankha appeared before the tribunal earlier and said Congress would not be able to participate in the elections if its accounts remained frozen.