NEW DELHI: Going by the data records of the electoral reform body, Association of Democratic Reform (ADR), both Radha Timblo and Chimanbhai Lodhiya, named in the black money account holders’ affidavit filed by the Centre, seem to have donated liberally to the BJP and the Congress.
As per the records, Timblo Pvt Ltd managing director Radha Timblo had made donations to the BJP on nine occasions,besides contributing to the Congress’ coffers thrice-- with sums amounting to Rs 1.18 crore and Rs 65 lakh, respectively.
According to ADR, the BJP’s donations report for 2011-12 lists the name of Chamanbhai Lodhiya from Rajkot, another person named in the affidavit. He had donated a total of Rs 51,000 to the party. Former Dabur executive Pradip Burman is the third name in the affidavit.
There are a total of 13 electoral trusts, only seven of which have been approved by the Central Bureau of Direct Taxes(CBDT) because they were formed after the CBDT rules governing electoral trusts were notified on January 31, 2013, the ADR said. The remaining six trusts were already in existence before the CBDT rules for such trusts were notified. The seven trusts formed after the CBDT rules are required to submit details of their donations to the Election Commission. The other six electoral trusts had donated more than Rs 105 crore to the national parties between 2004-05 and 2011-12. Since details of the donors, who made contributions to these six electoral trusts were not known, it could not be verified whether the funding of political parties through electoral trusts was not only a means to secure tax exemption but to convert black money stashed in tax havens to white money, said Bhaskar Assoldekar of ADR and National Election Watch.