I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 1 IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, KOLKATA A BENCH, KOLKATA BEFORE SHRI P.M. JAGTAP, VICE-PRESIDENT (KZ) AND SHRI S.S. VISWANETHRA RAVI, JUDICIAL MEMBER I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-2007, 2007-2008 & 2008-2009 DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX,...... .........APPELLANT CENTRAL CIRCLE-VII, KOLKATA, AAYAKAR BHAWAN POORVA, 110, SHANTI PALLY, KOLKATA-700 107 -VS.- M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED,................. ................................RESPONDENT 51, NALINI SETH ROAD, KOLKATA-700 007 [PAN: AABCC 0641 B] APPEARANCES BY: SHRI A.K. NAYAK, CIT (D.R.), FOR THE APPELLANT SHRI SUBHAS AGARWAL, ADVOCATE, FOR THE RESPONDENT DATE OF CONCLUDING THE HEARING : MARCH 25, 2019 DATE OF PRONOUNCING THE ORDER : APRIL 10, 2019 O R D E R PER SHRI P.M. JAGTAP, VICE-PRESIDENT (KOLKATA ZONE) :- THESE THREE APPEALS ARE PREFERRED BY THE REVENUE A GAINST THREE SEPARATE ORDERS PASSED BY THE LD. COMMISSIONER OF I NCOME TAX (APPEALS), CENTRAL-I, KOLKATA, ALL DATED 28.02.2013 FOR A.YS. 2006-07, 2007-08 AND 2008-09 RESPECTIVELY AND SINCE THE ISSUES INVOLVED THEREIN ARE COMMON, THE SAME HAVE BEEN HEARD TOGETHER AND ARE BEING DIS POSED OF BY A SINGLE CONSOLIDATED ORDER. 2. THE ASSESSEE IN THE PRESENT CASE IS A COMPANY. T HE INVESTIGATION CARRIED OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INCOME TAX (INVEST IGATION), KOLKATA REVEALED THAT SOME ENTITIES WERE INVOLVED IN PROVID ING ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES TO VARIOUS COMPANIES BASED IN MUMBAI, WHICH IN TURN HAD USED THE SAID FUNDS FOR PAYMENTS TO MADHIPURA MERCANTILE COOPERATIVE BANK AT I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 2 MUMBAI, WHICH WAS CONTROLLED BY SHRI KETAN PAREKH. SINCE THE ASSESSEE- COMPANY WAS ONE OF SUCH ENTITIES, THE STATEMENT OF ITS DIRECTOR SHRI SURESH SETHI WAS RECORDED UNDER SECTION 131 BY THE DDIT(INVESTIGATION), KOLKATA ON 22.02.2007. IN THE SAID STATEMENT GIVEN ON OATH, SHRI SURESH SETHI ACCEPTED THAT HE HAD GOT CASH OF EQUIVALENT A MOUNT FROM THE MUMBAI BASED COMPANIES BELONGING TO SHRI KETAN PARE KH GROUP AND AFTER DEPOSITING THE SAID CASH INTO THE BANK ACCOUNT OF T HE ASSESSEE-COMPANY, CHEQUES WERE ISSUED TO THE SAID COMPANIES. HE ALSO FURNISHED A LIST OF CHEQUES SO ISSUED AGAINST CASH THAT HAD BEEN RECEIV ED BY HIM. ALTHOUGH SHRI SURESH SETHI SUBSEQUENTLY FILED AN AFFIDAVIT R ETRACTING HIS STATEMENT, THE ASSESSING OFFICER DID NOT ACCEPT THE SAME ON TH E BASIS OF THE ENQUIRIES CONDUCTED BY THE INVESTIGATION WING ON A TEST-CHECK BASIS, WHICH REVEALED THAT CASH WAS DEPOSITED IN VARIOUS BANK AC COUNTS IN DIFFERENT STAGES. ACCORDING TO THE ASSESSING OFFICER, THIS FA CTUAL POSITION SUBSTANTIATED THE STATEMENT OF SHRI SURESH SETHI, D IRECTOR OF THE ASSESSEE- COMPANY THAT CASH WAS INDEED RECEIVED BY THE ASSESS EE-COMPANY IN LIEU OF CHEQUES GIVEN TO VARIOUS COMPANIES BELONGING TO KETAN PAREKH GROUP. HE ACCORDINGLY HELD THAT ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES WERE GIVEN BY THE ASSESSEE-COMPANY TO VARIOUS MUMBAI BASED COMPANIES BELONGING TO KETAN PAREKH GROUP AND SINCE THE ACCOMMODATION ENTR IES SO GIVEN DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR RELEVANT TO A.Y. 2006-07 AGGREGAT ED TO RS.12,47,26,500/-, HE ADDED THE COMMISSION INCOME @ 2% AMOUNTING TO RS.24,94,530/- TO THE TOTAL INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE IN THE ASSESSMENT COMPLETED FOR A.Y. 2006-07 UNDER SECTION 143(3) VID E AN ORDER DATED 30.12.2008. IN THE ASSESSMENT SO MADE, HE ALSO MADE AN ADDITION OF RS.12,47,26,500/- IN THE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE ON P ROTECTIVE BASIS OBSERVING THAT THE UNEXPLAINED INCOME TO THAT EXTEN T IN THE FORM OF CASH GIVEN BY THE MUMBAI BASED COMPANIES WAS ASSESSABLE ON SUBSTANTIVE BASIS IN THE HANDS OF THE SAID COMPANIES. THE ASSES SING OFFICER ALSO COMPLETED THE ASSESSMENTS FOR A.Y. 2007-08 & 2008-0 9 AND IN THE ASSESSMENTS SO MADE UNDER SECTION 143(3) VIDE ORDER S DATED 22.12.2009 AND 31.12.2010, HE MADE A SIMILAR ADDITION ON ACCOU NT OF COMMISSION I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 3 INCOME AT THE RATE OF 2% AMOUNTING TO RS.6,57,931/- AND RS.10,21,683/- TO THE TOTAL INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE FOR 2007-08 AND 2008-09 RESPECTIVELY. HE ALSO MADE ADDITIONS OF RS.3,28,96,577/- AND RS.5 ,10,84,138/- SIMILARLY ON PROTECTIVE BASIS IN THE ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED UN DER SECTION 143(3) FOR A.YS. 2007-08 AND 2008-09 VIDE ORDERS DATED 22. 12.2009 AND 31.12.2010 RESPECTIVELY FOR THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF ACC OMMODATION ENTRIES PROVIDED BY THE ASSESSEE-COMPANY TO THE MUMBAI BASE D COMPANIES BELONGING TO KETAN PAREKH GROUP OBSERVING THAT UNEX PLAINED INCOME TO THAT EXTENT WAS LIABLE TO BE ASSESSED ON SUBSTANTIV E BASIS IN THE HANDS OF THE SAID COMPANIES FOR THE CASH GIVEN TO THE ASSESS EE-COMPANY. 3. AGAINST THE ORDERS PASSED BY THE ASSESSING OFFIC ER UNDER SECTION 143(3) FOR A.YS. 2006-07, 2007-08 AND 2008-09, APPE ALS WERE PREFERRED BY THE ASSESEE-COMPANY BEFORE THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) AND AFTER CONSIDERING THE SUBMISSIONS MADE BY THE ASSESSEE AS WELL AS THE MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD, THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) DELETED THE ADDITION M ADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER TO THE TOTAL INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE FOR A.Y . 2006-07 ON ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGED ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES GIVEN TO THE MUMB AI BASED COMPANIES IN THE FORM OF COMMISSION INCOME AT THE RATE OF 2% AS WELL AS FURTHER ADDITION ON ACCOUNT OF PROTECTIVE BASIS FOR THE FOL LOWING REASONS GIVEN IN PARAGRAPH NO. 8 & 9 OF HIS IMPUGNED ORDER:- 8. I HAVE PERUSED THE RELEVANT ORDERS AND CONSIDER ED THE MATERIAL PLACED ON RECORD. I FIND THAT THE ISSUE RE GARDING THE DISCREPANCY IN DATES RELATED TO THE SWORN-AFFIDAVIT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE APPELLANT COMPANY AS MENTIONED IN T HE ITAT ORDER HAS BEEN SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED BY THE APPE LLANT. COPY OF SWORN-AFFIDAVIT AND OTHER RELEVANT MATERIAL WAS PRODUCED BY THE APPELLANT IN SUPPORT OF ITS CONTENT IONS. ON THE OTHER HAND, NO ADVERSE MATERIAL HAS BEEN BROUGH T ON RECORD BY THE AO IN COURSE OF THE APPELLATE PROCEED INGS, THE AO WAS SUPPOSED TO ASCERTAIN ABOUT THE CASES WHERE SUBSTANTIVE ADDITIONS WERE MADE CORRESPONDING TO TH E PROTECTIVE ADDITION IN THE PRESENT CASE, AND ALSO A BOUT THE FATE OF THE APPEALS IN THOSE CASES. HOWEVER, THOUGH A SUBSTANTIAL PERIOD OF OVER ONE YEAR HAS ALREADY ELA PSED. NOTHING HAS BEEN HEARD FROM THE AO. THE REMINDER IS SUED ON 14.02.2013 WAS ALSO NOT RESPONDED BY THE AO. IN THI S FACTUAL BACKGROUND GIVEN THE FACTS OF THE CASES AND THE FIN DINGS OF THE AO IN HIS ASSESSMENT ORDER, THE DECISIONS OF TH E LD. CIT(A) I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 4 IN THE CASE OF THE APPELLANT VIDE HIS ORDER DATED 2 9.10.2010 IN APPEAL NO. 386/CC-VII/CIT(A)C-I/08-09; AND ALSO, THOSE OF THE HONBLE JURISDICTIONAL ITAT IN SIMILAR CASES IN VOLVING IDENTICAL FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PRESENT APPE AL IS NOW BEING DECIDED ON THE BASIS OF THE MATERIAL AVAILABL E ON RECORD. 9. I FIND THAT THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE PRESENT APPEAL ARE COVERED BY THE ORDERS OF THE HONBLE JURISDICTI ONAL ITAT IN SIMILAR CASES INVOLVED IDENTICAL FACTS AND CIRCU MSTANCES. THE ADDITIONS WERE DELETED BY MY LEARNED PREDECESSO R VIDE HIS ORDER DATED 29.10.2010 IN APPEAL NO. 386/CC/VII/CIT(A)C-I/08-09. THOUGH THE MATTER WAS RESTORED TO THE FILE OF THE CIT(A) BY THE HONBLE I TAT, NO FRESH FACTS OR MATERIAL HAS COME UP IN COURSE OF TH E PRESENT APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS. THEREFORE, RESPECTFULLY FOL LOWING THE DECISIONS OF MY LEARNED PREDECESSOR IN THE CASE OF THE APPELLANT AS WELL AS THOSE OF THE HONBLE JURISDICT IONAL ITAT IN SIMILAR CASES INVOLVING IDENTICAL FACTS AND CIRC UMSTANCES, IT IS TO BE HELD THAT THE ADDITION MADE BY THE AO O N ACCOUNT OF UNEXPLAINED INCOME AS WELL AS ON THAT OF COMMISS ION INCOME IS NEITHER SUSTAINABLE IN LAW NOR ON FACTS. THE ADDITION OF RS.6,10,000/- ON ACCOUNT OF CASH DEPOSI T IN BANK ACCOUNT IS ALSO NOT SUSTAINABLE. THE ADDITION OF RS.12,47,26,500/-, RS.24,94,530/- AND RS.6,10,000/- IS DIRECTED TO BE DELETED. FOR ALMOST IDENTICAL REASONS AS GIVEN IN HIS IMPUGN ED ORDER FOR A.Y. 2006-07, THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) ALSO DELETED THE SIMI LAR ADDITION MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER TO THE TOTAL INCOME OF THE AS SESSEE FOR A.YS. 2007-08 AND 2008-09 ON ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGED ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES GIVEN TO THE MUMBAI BASED COMPANIES IN THE FORM OF COMMISSIO N INCOME AND FURTHER ADDITION ON ACCOUNT OF PROTECTIVE BASIS. 4. AGGRIEVED BY THE ORDERS OF THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) GIVING RELIEF TO THE ASSESSEE FOR THE THREE YEARS UNDER CONSIDERATION, T HE REVENUE HAS PREFERRED THESE APPEALS BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL. 5. WE HAVE HEARD THE ARGUMENTS OF BOTH THE SIDES AN D ALSO PERUSED THE RELEVANT MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD. THE TWO COMM ON ISSUES INVOLVED IN THESE THREE APPEALS RELATE TO THE DELETION BY THE L D. CIT(APPEALS) OF THE ADDITIONS MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER ON ACCOUNT OF ALLEGED I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 5 ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES GIVEN TO THE MUMBAI BASED COM PANIES ON PROTECTIVE BASIS AND THE DELETION BY THE LD. CIT(AP PEALS) OF THE ADDITION MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER ON ACCOUNT OF COMMISS ION INCOME ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSEE FOR GIVING ACCOMMODATION E NTRIES. IT IS OBSERVED THAT THE SIMILAR ISSUES WERE INVOLVED IN SOME OTHER CASES AND ALL THESE CASES WERE ADJOURNED IN THE PAST AND ALSO BLOCKED F OR SOME PERIOD FOR GETTING THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE STATUS OR OUTCOME OF THE CASES WHERE THE SIMILAR AMOUNTS WERE ADDED ON SUBSTANTIVE BASIS . INSPITE OF SUFFICIENT TIME GIVEN TO BOTH THE PARTIES, THEY HAVE FAILED TO FURNISH THE SAID INFORMATION. IT IS WELL SETTLED THAT PROTECTIVE ASS ESSMENT IS PERMISSIBLE IN LAW AND IN CASE A DOUBT OR AMBIGUITY ABOUT REAL ENT ITY IN WHOSE HANDS A PARTICULAR INCOME IS TO BE ASSESSED, THE ASSESSING AUTHORITY IS ENTITLED TO HAVE RECOURSE TO MAKE A PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT. AS H ELD BY THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF LALJI HARIDAS VS.- IT O (43 ITR 387), THE OFFICER MAY, WHEN IN DOUBT, TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERE ST OF THE REVENUE CAN ASSESS IT IN MORE THAN ONE HAND BUT THIS PROCEDURE CAN BE PERMITTED ONLY AT THE STAGE OF ASSESSMENT. PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT B ECOMES REDUNDANT WHEN THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT BECOMES FINAL AND I F THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT FAILS, IT IS PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT WHICH IS TO BE TREATED AS SUBSTANTIVE. KEEPING IN VIEW THIS COROLLARY BETWEEN THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT AND PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT, AN APPEAL AGA INST THE PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT SHOULD ORDINARILY AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF T HE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT SO THAT THE PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT CAN BE INCONFORMITY WITH THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT. IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. - SURENDRA GULAB CHAND MODI (140 ITR 517), THE APPEAL ARISING OUT OF THE P ROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT WAS DISPOSED OF BY THE APPELLATE AUTHORITY I.E. TRI BUNAL VACATING THE PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENT WITHOUT WAITING FOR THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT , WHICH MATTER WAS PENDING IN THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT. THE HONBLE G UJARAT HIGH COURT HELD THAT THE TRIBUNAL WAS NOT JUSTIFIED IN PROCEED ING WITH THE MATTER AND IN DISPOSING OF IT INSTEAD OF BLOCKING IT TILL THE DISPOSAL OF THE MATTER PENDING IN THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN ORDER TO BR ING IT INCONFORMITY I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 6 WITH THE VIEW OF THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT. THE HON BLE GUJARAT HIGH COURT ACCORDINGLY DIRECTED THE TRIBUNAL TO KEEP THE MATTER ALIVE AND PENDING AWAITING THE DECISION OF THE HONBLE SUPREM E COURT IN THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT . 6. IN THE PRESENT CASE, THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) DID NO T AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THE SUBSTANTIVE ASS ESSMENT AND SINCE THE SAID INFORMATION WAS NOT FORTHCOMING EVEN AFTER A C ONSIDERABLE PERIOD FROM THE CONCERNED ASSESSING OFFICER, HE PROCEEDED TO DISPOSE OF THE APPEALS ARISING FROM THE PROTECTIVE ASSESSMENTS BY HIS IMPUGNED ORDERS AND DELETED THE ADDITION MADE ON PROTECTIVE BASIS W ITHOUT AWAITING THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THE S UBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT. KEEPING IN VIEW THE DECISION OF THE HONBLE GUJARAT HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF CIT VS.- SURENDRA GULAB CHAND MODI (SUPRA), WE HOLD THAT THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) WAS NOT JUSTIFIED IN DELETING THE ADDI TIONS MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER ON PROTECTIVE BASIS IN ALL THE TH REE YEARS UNDER CONSIDERATION WITHOUT AWAITING FOR THE FINAL OUTCOM E OF THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THIS SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT. WE, THERE FORE, SET ASIDE THE IMPUGNED ORDERS OF THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) ON THIS ISS UE AND REMIT THE MATTER BACK TO HIM FOR KEEPING IT ALIVE AND PENDING TILL THE OUTCOME OF THE PROCEEDINGS ARISING FROM THE SUBSTANTIVE ASSESSMENT . 7. AS REGARDS THE ISSUE RELATING TO THE ADDITIONS M ADE ON ACCOUNT OF COMMISSION INCOME ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSE E FOR GIVING ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES, WE FIND THAT THIS ISSUE IS C ONSEQUENTIAL TO THE ISSUE RELATING TO THE ADDITION MADE ON PROTECTIVE B ASIS ON ACCOUNT OF ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES ALLEGEDLY GIVEN BY THE ASSESS EE-COMPANY TO THE MUMBAI BASED COMPANIES. SINCE THE SAID ISSUE IS REM ITTED BACK BY US TO THE LD. CIT(APPEALS), WE ALSO REMIT THE CONSEQUENTI AL ISSUE RELATING TO ADDITION ON ACCOUNT OF COMMISSION INCOME BACK TO TH E LD. CIT(APPEALS) FOR DECIDING THE SAME AFRESH. I.T.A. NOS. 1194, 1195 & 1196/KOL/2013 ASSESSMENT YEARS: 2006-07, 2007-08 & 2008-2009 M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED 7 8. AS REGARDS ONE OTHER ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE REVEN UES APPEAL FOR A.Y. 2006-07 RELATING TO DELETION BY THE LD. CIT(APPEALS ) OF THE ADDITION OF RS.6,10,000/- ON ACCOUNT OF CASH DEPOSITS FOUND TO BE MADE IN THE BANK ACCOUNT OF THE ASSESSEE, IT IS OBSERVED THAT NO REA SON WHATSOEVER IS GIVEN BY THE LD. CIT(APPEALS) TO JUSTIFY THE DELETION. HE IN FACT HAS NOT CONSIDERED OR DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE SEPARATELY. WE, THEREFORE, REMIT BACK THIS ISSUE ALSO TO LD. CIT(APPEALS) FOR FRESH CONSI DERATION. 9. IN THE RESULT, ALL THE THREE APPEALS OF THE REVE NUE ARE TREATED AS ALLOWED FOR STATISTICAL PURPOSES. ORDER PRONOUNCED IN THE OPEN COURT ON APRIL 10, 201 9. SD/- SD/- (S.S. VISWANETHRA RAVI) (P.M. JAGTAP) JUDICIAL MEMBER VICE -PRESIDENT (KZ) KOLKATA, THE 10 TH DAY OF APRIL, 2019 COPIES TO : (1) DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, CENTRAL CIRCLE-VII, KOLKATA, AAYAKAR BHAWAN POORVA, 110, SHANTI PALLY, KOLKATA-700 107 (2) M/S. CLIX SECURITIES PVT. LIMITED, 51, NALINI SETH ROAD, KOLKATA-700 007 (3) COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS), CENTRAL- 1, KOLKATA, (4) COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX- , (5) THE DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE (6) GUARD FILE BY ORDER ASSISTANT REGISTRAR, INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, KOLKATA BENCHES, KOLKATA LAHA/SR. P.S.