New Delhi: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey is facing criticism after he shared on X an alleged income tax return document hinting at the earnings of journalist Abhisar Sharma. Though the post did not name Sharma, the figures pointed toward him, with a rise in taxable income from 18.9 lakh rupees in 2019 to 1.2 crore rupees in 2021-22 before dropping to 62.7 lakh rupees in 2022-23.
Dubey asked followers to guess the identity of the journalist, accusing him of increasing his income by targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. His post triggered a sharp response from Sharma, who accused the MP of leaking confidential documents. Tagging Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Income Tax Department, Sharma demanded accountability and announced he would file an FIR against Dubey and the department.
Sharma called the act cowardly, pointing out that the MP refrained from naming him directly. Prominent journalist Ravish Kumar also expressed concern, asking whether political opponents will now be targeted by releasing their private tax data.
Legal experts highlighted that disclosure of income tax records without consent is punishable under Section 72 of the Information Technology Act and Section 138 of the Income Tax Act. The incident has raised fears about political misuse of state institutions to intimidate independent voices.
The episode has sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many users defending Sharma’s right to privacy and calling for stronger protection of journalists against political harassment.
