Five IT associations in Delhi have come together to protest against alleged harassment from the Department of Trade and Taxes in the state. The IT associations will jointly take up the issue to the Delhi Government.

“Nearly 14 IT partners in Nehru Place have alleged that they have been wrongfully targeted by the Enforcement Wing of the state tax department. They have complained that the tax officers are raiding their offices in late evening and demanding to check all documents, even those where the taxes have been paid. They manage to find minor clerical errors and blow it out of proportion. They claim hefty sums as tax and penalty, and threaten to seal the office,” informed V Krishnan, Executive Secretary, Progressive Channels Association of Information Technology (PCAIT).

One of the partners who recently faced such harassment, alleged, “Some 14-15 officials walked into our office unannounced and asked to check all documents. They found some minor errors in documentation and threatened us with penalty. Later they demanded bribe of Rs 5 lakh.”

Saket Kapur, General Secretary, PCAIT, said that the associations plan to jointly meet the Chief Minister of Delhi. “We will also hold a one-day protest when all the IT partners will stop sales for a day. We will decide on the date of the bandh in a few days,” shared Kapur.

The five associations that have joined hands to fight this menace include PCAIT, Computer Media Dealers Association (CMDA), East Delhi Computer Traders Association (EDCTA), NorthWest Computer Traders Welfare Association (NCTA) and West Delhi IT Association.