Contractual workers, juice vendor in UP's Aligarh get I-T notices worth crores

Aligarh (UP), Apr 2 (PTI) A man earning Rs 15,000 salary got an income tax notice of Rs 33.88 crore, another making Rs 8,500 was slapped with a notice of Rs 3.87 crore and a third Rs 7.79 crore.

The three notices in March served to those barely earning enough to make ends meet tell the tale of identity theft.

If one takes into account only their pay, then these individuals don't even become eligible to pay income tax.

According to the information provided by these victims and the ones whom they engaged for help pointed out that some business entities executed transactions using these individuals’ government-issued identification numbers like Aadhaar and PAN card.

Karan Kumar (34), who received the I-T notice of Rs 33.88 crore, was informed by lawyers that a company, Mahaveer Enterprises, had been conducting large-scale transactions in petroleum products and steel goods in Delhi using a forged PAN and Aadhaar card in Karan’s name.

"I got the notice on March 29 at about 4 pm. I met Income tax officials who suggested that I file an FIR in this regard," Karan, a contractual worker at SBI’s Khair branch, told reporters.

He has filed a complaint at Chandaus police station in this regard.

Station House officer (SHO) Chandaus Haribhaan Singh said a probe is on in the matter.

Similarly, Mohit Kumar, who is a small-time worker at a transport company, was shocked after the I-T department slapped a notice of Rs 3.87 crore on him on March 28.

He sought help from his employer, who consulted a GST lawyer.

The lawyer informed them that a firm, MK Traders, had been conducting business using Amit’s Aadhaar card.

According to the Income Tax Department’s digital records, MK Traders has been carrying out substantial business transactions since 2020.

Based on this information, the department slapped the notice, leaving the hapless worker in distress.

“I survive on a monthly income of Rs 8,500 and also support my aged parents. This notice has shattered me. I am very tense,” said Amit, a Sangor village local, who received the notice on March 28 in English.

He said he had attempted to contact the I-T official who issued the notice but received no response.

Amit, who is in his late 30s, pondered over how his details got stolen and recalled that in 2020, he had applied for a job in Delhi and submitted his identity documents.

A juice vendor near the civil court is also among the sufferers. On March 22, Raees Ahmad, who earns only Rs 500-600 a day, received the notice of Rs 7.79 crore, leaving him stunned.

Tax officials noted that little could be done from here as the notices were sent from Delhi.

A senior income tax lawyer in Aligarh stated that such cases of “digital fraud” point to the large-scale systematic misuse of digital identity systems. PTI COR ABN AMJ ABN AMJ AMJ

Source: PTI