Naresh Pamnani, Delhi V. ITO, Ward-61(5), New Delhi

ITA 1561/DEL/2018

• Counselvise Citation: [2019] 115 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 3035 (ITAT-DELHI)
• Duration Of Justice: 11 month(s) 29 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 05-03-2019
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Allowed
• Bench Allotted: SMC
• Assessment Year: 2010-2011
• Appeal Filed On: 06-03-2018
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: S L ANURAGI
• Assessee Lawyers: AJAY KUMAR MATTA
• Keywords: Reopening of assessment; Search and seizure; Reassessment proceedings; Set aside
• Section: 147; 131; 148; 6; 132

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DELHI BENCHES SMC : DELHI BEFORE SHRI BHAVNESH SAINI, JUDICIAL MEMBER ITA.NOS.1561/DEL./2018 ASSESSMENT YEAR 2010-2011 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI.PAN AAFPP4406J C/O. MATTA & ASSOCIATES, 877, AGGARWAL CYVBER PLAZA-II, NETAJI SUBHASH PLACE, PITAMPURA, DELHI- 034. VS. THE INCOME TAX OFFICER, WARD-61(5), CIVIC CENTRE, SP MUKHERJEE MARG, NEW DELHI. (APPELLANT) (RESPONDENT) FOR ASSESSEE : SHRI AJAY KUMAR MATTA, C.A. FOR REVENUE : SHRI S.L. ANURAGI, SR. D.R. DATE OF HEARING : 25.02.2019 DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT : 05.03.2019 ORDER THIS APPEAL BY ASSESSEE HAS BEEN DIRECTED AGAINST THE ORDER OF LD. CIT(A)-27, NEW DELHI, DATED 29 TH JANUARY, 2018, FOR THE ASSESSMENT YEAR 2010-2011. 2. BRIEFLY THE FACTS OF THE CASE ARE THAT ASSESSEE FILED RETURN OF INCOME DECLARING INCOME OF RS.29,14,950/-. AN INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM DDIT, INVESTIGATION, NEW DELHI, ON THE BASIS OF WHICH, THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE WAS REOPENED UNDER SECTION 147 OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT, 1961. 2 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. THE REASONS ARE REPRODUCED IN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER, IN WHICH, IT IS MENTIONED THAT INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM DDIT, INVESTIGATION, NEW DELHI, REGARDING DONATION/ CAPITATION FEES PAID FOR THE REGULAR COURSE FEES TO SANTOSH MEDICAL COLLEGE, GHAZIABAD, FOR ASSESSMENT YEAR 2009-2010 THROUGH PR.CIT, DELHI-15. THE DDIT, INVESTIGATION NEW DELHI HAS SUBMITTED THAT A SEARCH AND SEIZURE ACTION UNDER SECTION 132 OF THE INCOME TAX ACT WAS CARRIED OUT ON 27 TH JUNE, 2013 IN SANTOSH GROUP OF INSTITUTE & DR. P. MAHALINGAM. DURING THE SEARCH, CERTAIN DOCUMENTS/BOOKS OF ACCOUNT WERE SEIZED FROM THE PREMISES OF H-1 TO H-6, SANTOSH NAGAR, PRATAP VIHAR. THE MAIN ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK OF THE COLLEGE WHICH REVEALED RECEIPTS OF DONATION/CAPITATION FEE, OVER AND ABOVE THE REGULAR COURSE FEES, PAID IN CASH BY THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS ADMITTED OF ACCEPTING THE DONATION/ CAPITATION FEES IN CASH AND OFFERED THE UNACCOUNTED MONEY SO RECEIVED FOR TAXATION IN THE RELEVANT ASSESSMENT YEAR, IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT HE HAD MADE CASH PAYMENT OF RS.19,75,000/- TOWARDS DONATION/ CAPITATION FEE OVER AND ABOVE THE REGULAR COURSE FEES TO THE 3 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. ABOVE COLLEGE. THEREFORE, NOTICE UNDER SECTION 148 WAS ISSUED. THE ASSESSEE WAS CONFRONTED WITH THE QUERY REGARDING CASH PAYMENT TO THE ABOVE COLLEGE. THE ASSESSEE WAS ASKED TO FURNISH DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCES OF THE SOURCE OF THE AFORESAID PAYMENTS IN CASH. THE ASSESSEE IS A DOCTOR BY PROFESSION. DURING THE COURSE OF ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS, STATEMENT OF ASSESSEE WAS RECORDED UNDER SECTION 131 OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT. THE A.O. NOTED THAT DR P MAHALINGAM HAS ADMITTED IN HIS STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 132(4) OF THE INCOME TAX ACT THAT HE HAD ACCEPTED THE CAPITATION FEES FROM THE ASSESSEE AND SURRENDERED THE AMOUNT FOR TAXATION. THE ASSESSING OFFICER, THEREFORE, MADE ADDITION OF RS.19,75,000/- IN THE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE. 2.1. THE ASSESSEE CHALLENGED THE REOPENING OF THE ASSESSMENT AS WELL AS THE ADDITION ON MERIT BEFORE THE LD. CIT(A). HOWEVER, APPEAL OF ASSESSEE HAS BEEN DISMISSED. 3. THE ASSESSEE, IN THE PRESENT APPEAL, CHALLENGED THE REOPENING OF THE ASSESSMENT AS WELL AS THE ADDITION ON MERIT. 4 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. 4. I HAVE HEARD THE LEARNED REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH THE PARTIES AND PERUSED THE MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD. 5. LEARNED COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE SUBMITTED THAT ASSESSEE RAISED SPECIFIC GROUND ON MERIT TO CHALLENGE THE ADDITION ON MERIT, BUT, THE LD. CIT(A) WITHOUT ANY REASON NOTED IN THE IMPUGNED ORDER THAT ASSESSEE HAS NOT RAISED ANY GROUND IN THIS REGARD. HE HAS SUBMITTED THAT LD. CIT(A) HAS REPRODUCED ALL THE GROUNDS IN THE APPELLATE ORDER, IN WHICH, IN GROUND NO.6, ASSESSEE HAS CHALLENGED THE ADDITION OF RS.19,75,000/-. HE HAS SUBMITTED THAT A.O. OR THE INVESTIGATION WING HAVE NOT SUPPLIED COPY OF THE STATEMENT OF DR P MAHALINGAM TO HIM FOR REBUTTING HIS STATEMENT AND NO CROSS-EXAMINATION TO HIS STATEMENT HAVE BEEN ALLOWED AT ANY STAGE, THEREFORE, THIS STATEMENT CANNOT BE READ IN EVIDENCE AGAINST THE ASSESSEE. HE HAS REFERRED TO THE STATEMENT OF ASSESSEE RECORDED AT ASSESSMENT STAGE, COPY OF WHICH IS FILED ON RECORD, IN WHICH HE HAS DENIED TO HAVE PAID ANY AMOUNT TO DR P MAHALINGAM OR THE ABOVE COLLEGE AS CAPITATION FEES. HE, THEREFORE, SUBMITTED THAT 5 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. SINCE NO MATERIAL HAS BEEN CONFRONTED TO ASSESSEE, THEREFORE, NO ADDITION COULD BE MADE AGAINST THE ASSESSEE. 6. ON THE OTHER HAND, LD. D.R. RELIED UPON ORDERS OF THE AUTHORITIES BELOW. 7. AFTER CONSIDERING THE RIVAL SUBMISSIONS, I AM OF THE VIEW THAT ADDITION ON MERIT IS WHOLLY UNJUSTIFIED. IT IS WELL SETTLED LAW THAT UNLESS THE INCRIMINATING DOCUMENTS OR STATEMENT USED AGAINST THE ASSESSEE ARE CONFRONTED TO ASSESSEE AND ASSESSEE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO CROSS-EXAMINE SUCH STATEMENTS, NO SUCH MATERIAL OR STATEMENT, COULD BE READ IN EVIDENCE AGAINST THE ASSESSEE. I RELY UPON THE DECISION OF THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF KISHAN CHAND CHELLARAM 125 ITR 713 (SC). IN THE PRESENT CASE, THE A.O. HAS RELIED UPON THE STATEMENT OF DR P MAHALINGAM, RECORDED DURING THE COURSE OF SEARCH, UNDER SECTION 132(4) OF THE INCOME TAX ACT AGAINST THE ASSESSEE, IN WHICH HE HAS ADMITTED TO HAVE RECEIVED CAPITATION FEES FROM THE ASSESSEE OF RS.19,75,000/- IN CASH. THE ASSESSING OFFICER RECORDED STATEMENT OF ASSESSEE AT ASSESSMENT STAGE, IN WHICH, THE STATEMENT OF DR P MAHALINGAM RECORDED UNDER SECTION 6 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. 132(4) OF THE INCOME TAX ACT, HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO, BUT, IT IS NOWHERE MENTIONED IN WHICH STATEMENT, IF SUCH COPY OF THE STATEMENT WAS PROVIDED TO ASSESSEE FOR EXPLANATION OF ASSESSEE. THE ASSESSEE DENIED TO HAVE MADE ANY CASH PAYMENT TO DR P MAHALINGAM. THE ASSESSING OFFICER IN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER ALSO DID NOT MENTION ANY FACT IF STATEMENT DR P MAHALINGAM HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE ASSESSEE FOR HIS COMMENTS OR WAS CONFRONTED TO ASSESSEE AT ANY STAGE. THE ASSESSING OFFICER DID NOT RECORD IN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER IF STATEMENT OF DR. P MAHALINGAM RECORDED AT THE BACK OF THE ASSESSEE BY THE INVESTIGATION WING, WAS ALLOWED FOR CROSS EXAMINATION ON BEHALF OF THE ASSESSEE AT ANY STAGE, THEREFORE, STATEMENT OF THIRD PARTY, CANNOT BE USED AGAINST THE ASSESSEE UNLESS ASSESSEE HAS BEEN ALLOWED A RIGHT TO CROSS-EXAMINE SUCH STATEMENT. THE A.O. IN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER ALSO DID NOT MENTION, IF ANY, MATERIAL FOUND DURING THE COURSE OF SEARCH, WAS CONFRONTED TO THE ASSESSEE. THUS, ASSESSEE WAS JUSTIFIED IN DENYING IN MAKING ANY CASH PAYMENT TO DR. P MAHALINGAM AT ANY STAGE. THERE IS NO MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD TO JUSTIFY THE ADDITION AGAINST 7 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. THE ASSESSEE ON MERITS. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY MATERIAL ON RECORD AGAINST THE ASSESSEE AND IN THE ABSENCE OF CROSS EXAMINATION TO THE STATEMENT OF DR P MAHALINGAM ON BEHALF OF THE ASSESSEE, SUCH MATERIAL CANNOT BE USED AGAINST THE ASSESSEE SO AS TO MAKE THE IMPUGNED ADDITION. I, ACCORDINGLY, SET ASIDE THE ORDERS OF THE AUTHORITIES BELOW AND DELETE THE ADDITION OF RS.19,75,000/-. 8. BOTH THE PARTIES ALSO ARGUED ON INITIATION OF REASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS AND HAVE ALSO CITED VARIOUS CASE LAWS AND LD. D.R. ALSO SUBMITTED WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT ADDITION ON MERIT HAVE BEEN DELETED, THE ISSUE OF REOPENING OF ASSESSMENT IS LEFT WITH ACADEMIC DISCUSSION ONLY. I DO NOT PROPOSE TO DECIDE THE SAME. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, APPEAL OF ASSESSEE IS ALLOWED. 9. IN THE RESULT, APPEAL OF ASSESSEE IS ALLOWED. ORDER PRONOUNCED IN THE OPEN COURT. SD/- (BHAVNESH SAINI) DELHI, DATED 05 TH MARCH, 2019 JUDICIAL MEMBER VBP/- 8 ITA.NO.1561/DEL./2018 SHRI NARESH PAMNANI, DELHI. COPY TO 1. THE APPELLANT 2. THE RESPONDENT 3. CIT(A) CONCERNED 4. CIT CONCERNED 5. D.R. ITAT SMC BENCH, DELHI 6. GUARD FILE. // BY ORDER // ASSISTANT REGISTRAR : ITAT DELHI BENCHES : DELHI.