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2021 (10) TMI 858 - AT - Income Tax


Issues Involved:
1. Addition of ?26,76,106/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2012-13.
2. Addition of ?57,42,679/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2013-14.
3. Addition of ?7,84,932/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2014-15.

Issue-Wise Detailed Analysis:

1. Addition of ?26,76,106/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2012-13:
The first issue addressed was whether the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)] was justified in confirming the addition of ?26,76,106/- as income from inflation of expenses. The search operation under Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, conducted on the Ahuja group on 25/06/2015, led to the discovery of parallel books of accounts showing inflated expenses. The Assessing Officer (AO) added ?64,35,000/- towards inflation of expenses under Section 68 of the Act. The assessee contended that the actual expenses were ?28,76,106/-, not ?64,35,000/-. The CIT(A) allowed only ?2,00,000/- as genuine business expenses and disallowed the remaining ?26,76,106/-. The Tribunal directed the AO to make an addition at 12% of the inflated expenses of ?28,76,106/-, following the Income Tax Settlement Commission's (ITSC) order for the assessee's group companies.

2. Addition of ?57,42,679/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2013-14:
For A.Y. 2013-14, the facts and nature of the addition were identical to A.Y. 2012-13. The AO made an addition of ?57,42,679/- under Section 68 of the Act, while the actual expenses were ?11,44,080/-. The CIT(A) allowed ?2,00,000/- as genuine business expenses and disallowed the remaining ?9,44,080/-. The Tribunal, applying the same rationale as for A.Y. 2012-13, directed the AO to make an addition at 12% of the inflated expenses of ?11,44,080/-.

3. Addition of ?7,84,932/- as income from inflation of expenses for A.Y. 2014-15:
For A.Y. 2014-15, the AO treated ?7,84,932/- as unexplained cash payment under Section 69 of the Act. The assessee denied the transaction of inflation of expenses and contended that no such entry was found in its books. The CIT(A) confirmed the addition without addressing the assessee's objections. The Tribunal found that neither the AO nor the CIT(A) provided any seized document reference to prove the receipt of ?7,84,932/- by cheque. The Tribunal concluded that the alleged cash payment was explained by the cash balance in the parallel books of accounts, which were subject to seizure and offered to tax. Thus, the addition under Section 69 was unwarranted.

Conclusion:
- ITA No. 2975/Mum/2019 for A.Y. 2012-13 was partly allowed.
- ITA No. 2976/Mum/2019 for A.Y. 2013-14 was partly allowed.
- ITA No. 2983/Mum/2019 for A.Y. 2014-15 was allowed.

Order Pronounced on 08/09/2021.

 

 

 

 

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