Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 16 (IANS): A day after a top CPI-M leader claimed that Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnadan had engaged in tax evasion and has amassed huge assets which are more than his known sources of income, he asked the ruling party on Wednesday to depute anyone to peruse his accounts.

As promised by him on Tuesday he said that he is prepared to face the charges levelled by the CPI-M against him and will not run away but sought a day to answer their charges.

Addressing the media here on Wednesday, the first time Congress legislator and lawyer said he wants to engage in a healthy political discourse and not mud-slinging.

“ Hearing the charges levelled against me by the CPI-M, I was concerned and disturbed. They have made very serious allegation against me of indulging in money laundering using my profession as a lawyer,” said Kuzhalnadan .

“ We are a law firm of four partners and through these canards that have been levelled, we have decided to ask the CPI-M to depute anyone they want to peruse our accounts and I personally prefer it would be nice if they ask Thomas Isaac ( former state finance minister for a decade) to do it. At the same time I wish if Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan against whom I have raised charges also decides to come clean on her IT firm-Exalogic,” said Kuzhalnadan .

Kuzhalnadan released the tax paid by his law firm over the years and also the personal income tax paid by him.

On the allegation levelled by Ernakulam district CPI-M secretary C.N Mohanan that he has engaged in tax evasion when he acquired a property in Idukki, he said he is placing all the documents on it before the media.

“ At times when you become more honest , you run into trouble like this. We had purchased this property ( a resort) and have paid Rs six lakhs more tax than the fair value fixed by the government. So in this also I accept the challenge,” added Kuzhalnadan.

Mohanan alleged that Kuzhalnadanon March 18, 2021 had purchased a resort and property in Idukki district worth Rs 7 crores.

He said in the documents, the value of the property is shown only as Rs 1.72 crores. However, the very next day in his election affidavit he put the value of the property at Rs 3.50 crores.

“ Yes, what he has said is correct because I had entered into the agreement for purchase before and I had made capital investment for renovation to the property and hence when I filed my affidavit, the capital infused was also included,” said the Congress legislator.