1989 (2) TMI 78 - HC - Income Tax

Summary

Issues involved: Assessment of income from undisclosed sources and exemption of income from agriculture activities.

Assessment of income from undisclosed sources: The case involved a sum of Rs. 28,000 assessed as income from an undisclosed source for the assessment year 1978-79. The assessee claimed that the amount was earned from agriculture and thus exempt from tax under the Income-tax Act. However, the tax authorities, including the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal, found that the assessee failed to provide satisfactory evidence of engaging in agricultural activities or to whom the agricultural produce was sold. Consequently, the Tribunal upheld the assessment of Rs. 28,000 as income from undisclosed sources, stating that it was a possible view based on the evidence presented.

Exemption of income from agriculture activities: The second question raised was whether the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal was correct in determining that 50% of the income from the sale of potatoes stored in cold storage by the assessee was exempt as income from agriculture. The Tribunal's findings on this matter were also considered as findings of fact and did not give rise to any question of law.

Judgment: The High Court, after hearing arguments from both parties, concluded that the findings of the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal were based on an evaluation of evidence and did not raise any legal questions. Therefore, the application under section 256(2) of the Income-tax Act was deemed to be without merit and was rejected.