Thursday, December 22 2005 19:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Amid controversy that an Income Tax notice was slapped on superstar Amitabh Bachchan when he was in hospital, Income Tax authorities today (Dec 22, 2005) said notices are sent to the assessees on addresses given to the tax department.

"How do we know that the concerned man is in hospital. We cannot keep on chasing a person," a top I-T official told sources.

He, however, refused to divulge further, saying the department does not comment on individual cases.

"Who are we to comment on when the matter is taken up with the Prime Minister's Office," they said.

Bachchan was reportedly slapped a Rs 4.5 crore Income Tax notice at a time when he was in Lilawati Hospital, recuperating from an operation for intestinal problems recently.

The matter was reportedly taken up by Bachchan's close friends Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.