New Delhi, July 18 (TIWN) The Income Tax Department said on Thursday it has attached a benami commercial plot in Noida worth Rs 400 crore belonging to BSP chief Mayawati's brother Anand Kumar and his wife ahead of by-elections in Uttar Pradesh.

The attached property, according to income tax sources was beneficially owned by Anand Kumar and his wife Vichiter Lata.  India Today has learnt that the provisional order for attachment of the 7-acre plot, "beneficially owned" by Anand Kumar and his wife Vichiter Lata, was issued on July 16 by the Delhi-based benami prohibition unit (BPU) of the department.  The attached asset, considered a benami property of Kumar and his wife by the department, measures 28,328.07 square meters or about 7 acres.  The Income Tax Department is probing wealth to the tune of Rs 1,300 crore of BSP supremo Mayawati's brother Anand Kumar. The IT in its investigation alleges that Anand Kumar's wealth rose from Rs 7.1 cr to Rs 1,300, a rise of over 18,000 per cent from 2007 to 2014.  12 firms where Anand Kumar was director are under scanner of IT department.