2025 (4) TMI 384 - AT - Income Tax

Reopening of assessment u/s 147 - unexplained cash credit u/s 68 - HELD THAT - The creditor J is also an active company on the portal of Ministry of Corporate Affairs and regularly filing income-tax returns. In the income-tax return of AY 2014-15 filed to Income-tax Department J has claimed credit of TDS as high as Rs. 100.68 lacs. All these details were before lower-authorities but they have not been controverted except giving a general remark that J is a shell company operated by Shri Sharad Darak. Assessee has discharged primary onus cast upon it to satisfy the requirement of section 68. The revenue authorities are unable to negate the documentary evidences relating to J filed by assessee. Thus the assessee has filed sufficient documents to prove all three ingredients of section 68 i.e. the identity and creditworthiness of J and genuineness of loan transaction. ITAT Indore has already deleted additions made by AO based on statements of Shri Sharad Dark in the hands of various other assessees in respect of loans taken from very same creditor J . Two such decisions are M/s Global Realcon Pvt. Ltd. 2022 (4) TMI 1652 - ITAT INDORE and Krishna Devcon Ltd. 2023 (8) TMI 1631 - ITAT INDORE The assessee has already repaid loan on 29.04.2015 immediately after close of financial year 2014-15. Therefore the assessee deserves benefit of decision in the case of Ayachi Chandrashekhar Narsangji 2013 (12) TMI 372 - GUJARAT HIGH COURT We do not find any merit in the addition made by AO. Accordingly we delete the addition made/upheld by lower-authorities and Ground is thus allowed.

Summary

ISSUES PRESENTED and CONSIDERED

The core legal questions considered in this judgment are:

1. Whether the reopening of the assessment under Section 147 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, was validly initiated, considering the alleged non-application of mind and mechanical issuance of notice under Section 148.

2. Whether the addition of Rs. 5,50,000/- as unexplained cash credit under Section 68 of the Act, related to a loan from M/s Jay Jyoti India Private Limited, was justified.

3. Whether the procedural aspects, including the provision of adequate opportunity to the assessee and the applicability of amended assessment procedures post-01.04.2021, were appropriately handled by the lower authorities.

ISSUE-WISE DETAILED ANALYSIS

1. Validity of Reopening under Section 147

- Relevant Legal Framework and Precedents: The reopening of an assessment under Section 147 requires the Assessing Officer (AO) to have reason to believe that income has escaped assessment. The issuance of notice under Section 148 should not be mechanical and must be based on tangible material.

- Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Tribunal noted that the reopening was based on information from the Investigation Wing, which alleged that the lender company was a shell company controlled by an accommodation entry provider. However, the Tribunal found that the AO did not independently verify this information or provide the assessee with an opportunity to cross-examine the alleged controller of the shell company.

- Key Evidence and Findings: The assessee provided evidence of the lender's identity, creditworthiness, and the genuineness of the transaction, including PAN, bank statements, and financial statements. These were not effectively countered by the revenue authorities.

- Application of Law to Facts: The Tribunal applied the principles from precedents like Kunwar Ayub Ali v. ITO and held that the reopening was based on borrowed satisfaction without independent verification, thus lacking jurisdiction.

- Treatment of Competing Arguments: The revenue argued that the lender was a shell company, but the Tribunal found this claim unsubstantiated in light of the documentary evidence provided by the assessee.

- Conclusions: The Tribunal concluded that the reopening was invalid due to non-application of mind and lack of jurisdiction.

2. Addition of Unexplained Cash Credit under Section 68

- Relevant Legal Framework and Precedents: Section 68 requires the assessee to prove the identity, creditworthiness, and genuineness of any cash credit. Failure to do so can result in the addition of the amount as unexplained cash credit.

- Court's Interpretation and Reasoning: The Tribunal found that the assessee had discharged its burden by providing sufficient documentary evidence, such as PAN, bank statements, and confirmation of the loan transaction.

- Key Evidence and Findings: The Tribunal noted that the lender had a substantial investible surplus, was an active company, and the loan was repaid soon after the financial year ended.

- Application of Law to Facts: The Tribunal applied the principles from cases like Ayachi Chandrashekhar Narsangji and found that the evidence provided by the assessee was sufficient to establish the genuineness of the loan.

- Treatment of Competing Arguments: The revenue's reliance on statements from the Investigation Wing was deemed insufficient without corroborative evidence, especially when the assessee was not given a chance to cross-examine the source of these statements.

- Conclusions: The Tribunal found no merit in the addition made by the AO and deleted the addition.

SIGNIFICANT HOLDINGS

- Preserve Verbatim Quotes of Crucial Legal Reasoning: "The assessee has discharged primary onus cast upon it to satisfy the requirement of section 68. The revenue authorities are unable to negate the documentary evidences relating to 'J' filed by assessee."

- Core Principles Established: The judgment reinforces the principle that reopening of assessments must be based on independent verification and not merely on borrowed satisfaction. It also emphasizes the need for the revenue to provide an opportunity for cross-examination when relying on third-party statements.

- Final Determinations on Each Issue: The Tribunal allowed the appeal, deleting the addition under Section 68 and finding the reopening under Section 147 invalid.