Sharp increase in prosecution of tax evaders by IT Deptt

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : The Income Tax (IT) Department has accorded the highest priority to tackle the menace of black money. With this objective in mind, the Department has initiated criminal prosecution proceedings in a large number of cases of tax offenders and evaders.

Prosecutions have been initiated for various offences including wilful attempt to evade tax or payment of any tax, wilful failure in filing returns of income, false statement in verification and failure to deposit the tax deducted/collected at source or inordinate delay in doing so, among other defaults.

During FY 2017-18(up to November, 2017), the Department filed prosecution complaints for various offences in 2,225 cases compared to 784 for the corresponding period in the immediately preceding year, an increase of 184%. The number of complaints compounded by the Department during the current FY (up to November, 2017) stands at 1,052 as against 575 in the corresponding period of the immediately preceding year registering a rise of 83%. Compounding of offences is done when the defaulter admits to its offence and pays the compounding fee as per stipulated conditions, according to aPIB release.

Due to the decisive and focused action taken by the Department against tax evaders, the number of defaulters convicted by the courts has also registered a sharp increase during the current fiscal. Fortyeight persons were convicted for various offences during the current year(up to November, 2017) compared to 13 convictions for the corresponding period in the immediately preceding year, an increase of 269%.