Mohan Aggarwal, New Delhi V. ACIT, Central Circle- 15, New Delhi

ITA 2497/DEL/2018

• Counselvise Citation: [2019] 118 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 5649 (ITAT-DELHI)
• Duration Of Justice: 9 month(s) 20 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 31-01-2019
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Allowed
• Bench Allotted: E
• Assessment Year: 2009-2010
• Appeal Filed On: 10-04-2018
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: P S THUING ALENG
• Keywords: Reopening of assessment; Search and seizure; Salary income; Transactions in derivatives; Tangible material; Difference of opinion; Corroborative evidences; Avoidance of tax; Accommodation entries; Competent authority; Capital receipt; Reason to believe; Change of opinion; Reassessment proceedings; Futures and options
• Section: 143(3); 234B; 133(6); 147; 131; 148; 132

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DELHI BENCH SMC, NEW DELHI BEFORE SH. R.K PANDA, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 ASSESSMENT YEAR: 2009-10 MOHAN AGGARWAL 12/75, PUNJABI BAGH WEST, NEW DELHI PAN AADPA8839L VS ACIT, CENTRAL CIRCLE -15 NEW DELHI (APPELLANT) (RESPONDENT) APPELLANT BY SH. GAUTAM JAIN, ADVOCATE SH. PEEYUSH KUMAR KARNAL, ADVOCATE RESPONDENT BY SH. P. S. THUINGALENG, SR DR DATE OF HEARING: 12/12/2018 DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT: 31/01/2019 ORDER PER R.K. PANDA, AM: 1. THIS APPEAL FILED BY THE ASSESSEE IS DIRECTED AG AINST THE ORDER DATED 09.02.2018 OF THE CIT(A)-26, NEW DELHI RELATING TO A. Y. 2009-10. 2. FACTS OF THE CASE, IN BRIEF, ARE THAT THE ASSESS EE IS AN INDIVIDUAL AND DERIVES INCOME FROM SALARY, HOUSE PROPERTY, CAPITAL GAIN AN D INCOME FROM OTHER SOURCES. HE FILED HIS RETURN OF INCOME ON 07.07.2009 DECLARI NG TOTAL INCOME OF RS.9,84,190/-. THE SAID RETURN WAS PROCESSED U/S 14 3 (1) OF THE IT ACT. THEREAFTER, SEARCH ACTION U/S 132 OF THE IT ACT WAS CARRIED OUT IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE ON 17.12.2013 AND THE ORDER WAS PASSED U/S 153 (A) R.W.S 143 (3) ON 28.03.2016. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ASSESSING OFFICER RE CEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE INVESTIGATION WING, AHEMDABAD VIDE LETTER DATED 17. 03.2016 THAT SURVEY ACTION U/S 133 A OF THE IT ACT WAS CONDUCTED BY THE INVEST IGATION WING OF AHEMDABAD AT THE BUSINESS PREMISES OF 12 STOCK BROKERS ACROSS IN DIA ON 23.03.2015. AS PER ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 2 ANALYSIS OF THE DATA RECEIVED FROM THE NATIONAL STO CK EXCHANGE AND INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE STOCK BROKERS, THE ADIT (INVESTIGAT ION) CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS MISUSED THE FACILITY OF CLIEN T CODE MODIFICATION (CCM) PROVIDED TO THE STOCK BROKERS TO AVAIL CONTRIVED LO SS OF RS.31,90,855/-. THE DETAILS OF ALL THE TRANSACTIONS ORIGINAL AS WELL AS MODIFIED WAS PROVIDED BY THE INVESTIGATION WING ARE AS UNDER :- SL. NO. NAME OF BENEFICIARY ADDRESS OF BENEFICIARY PAN NAME OF BROKER WHEN OC- (ASCERTAINED PROFIT) WHEN MC (ASCERTAINED OF LOSSES) NET REDUCTION INCOME DUE 1 MOHAN AGGARWAL ADVANCE CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES 14-KISHAN MARKET- SIRKIWALAN- HAUZQAZI DELHI- 110006 AADPA8839L GAURAV INVESTMENTS & CONSULTANCY 1593542.5 -1597312.5 -3190855 3. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE THE ASSESSING OFFICER ISSUE D NOTICE U/S 148 OF THE IT ACT AFTER RECORDING SATISFACTION NOTE WITH DUE APPR OVAL. THE ASSESSEE IN RESPONSE TO THE SAME FILED ITS RETURN OF INCOME DECLARING TO TAL INCOME OF RS.9,84,190/-. THE ASSESSING OFFICER ANALYSED THE MODUS OPERANDI A DOPTED BY THE ASSESSEE WITH THE CONNIVANCE OF THE STOCK BROKER. HE ALSO ISSUED NOTICE U/S 133(6) TO THE BROKER M/S. GURAUV INVESTMENT AND CONSULTANCY PRIVATE LIMI TED ON 14.12.2016 CALLING FOR CERTAIN INFORMATION. IN RESPONSE TO THE SAME T HE BROKER M/S. GAURAV INVESTMENTS & CONSULTANCY PRIVATE LIMITED STATED TH AT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS DONE IN HIS OFFICE TO RECTIFY THE CLERICAL ERRO RS /OPERATIONAL LACUNA WHILE PUNCHING ORDERS AND IT WAS DONE BY THEIR STAFF AFTE R CONSULTING THE CLIENTS AND TO THEIR SATISFACTION. SINCE THE CONCERNED STAFF HAS LEFT THE SERVICES THEY EXPRESSED THEIR INABILITY TO COMMENT ON THE CONDITIONS PREVAI LING IN THE TRADING ROOM AT THAT TIME. THEY ALSO SUBMITTED THAT NO SET PATTERN OF P UNCHING ERRORS CAN BE ASSUMED/ ASCERTAINED NOW. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE AND REJECTING THE VARIOUS EXPLANATIONS GIVEN BY THE ASSESSEE THE ASSESSING OF FICER MADE ADDITION OF RS.39,90,855/- TO THE TOTAL INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE AS HIS UNDISCLOSED INCOME. ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 3 3.1 BEFORE CIT(A) THE ASSESSEE APART FROM CHALLENGI NG THE ADDITION ON MERIT CHALLENGED THE VALIDITY OF THE REASSESSMENT PROCEED INGS. HOWEVER, THE LD. CIT (A) UPHELD THE VALIDITY OF REASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS AND ALSO SUSTAINED THE ADDITION ON MERIT. 4. AGGRIEVED, WITH SUCH ORDER OF THE CIT(A), THE AS SESSEE IS IN APPEAL BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL BY RAISING FOLLOWING GROUNDS OF APPEAL :- 1. THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEA LS) HAS GROSSLY ERRED BOTH IN LAW AND ON FACTS IN UPHOLDING THE INITIATION OF PROCEEDINGS UNDER SECTION 147 OF THE ACT AND, COMPL ETION OF ASSESSMENT UNDER SECTION 147/143(3) OF THE ACT WITHOUT APPRECI ATING THAT THE SAME WERE WITHOUT JURISDICTION AND HENCE DESERVED TO BE QUASHED AS SUCH. 1.1 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEAL S) HAS ALSO FAILED TO APPRECIATE THAT SINCE THE ORIGINAL ASSESS MENT WAS FRAMED UNDER SECTION 143(3) OF THE ACT AND PROCEEDINGS HAD BEEN INITIATED AFTER A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS FROM THE END OF ASSESSMENT YEAR AND I N ABSENCE OF ANY FAILURE ON THE PART OF THE APPELLANT TO DISCLOSE FU LLY AND TRULY ALL MATERIAL FACTS NECESSARY FOR ASSESSMENT, INITIATION OF PROCE EDINGS WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. 1.2 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS FAILED TO APPRECIATE THAT THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC RELEVANT, RELIABLE AND TANGIBLE MATERIAL ON RECORD TO FORM A REASON TO BELIEVE TH AT INCOME OF THE APPELLANT HAD ESCAPED ASSESSMENT AND IN VIEW THEREO F THE PROCEEDINGS INITIATED ARE ILLEGAL, UNTENABLE AND THEREFORE UNSU STAINABLE. 1.3 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS FAILED TO APPRECIATE THAT REASONS RECORDED MECHANICALLY WI THOUT APPLICATION OF MIND DO NOT CONSTITUTE VALID REASONS TO BELIEVE FOR ASSUMPTION OF JURISDICTION U/S 147 OF THE ACT 2 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPE ALS) HAS ALSO ERRED BOTH IN LAW AND ON FACTS IN SUSTAINING AN AGGREGATE ADDITION OF RS. 31,90,855/- REPRESENTING LOSS INCURRED ON ACCOUNT O F GENUINE BUSINESS TRANSACTION IN FUTURES AND OPTIONS BY THE APPELLANT 2.1 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS FAILED ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 4 TO APPRECIATE THAT THE LOSS INCURRED IS SUPPORTED B Y DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE IN THE SHAPE OF CONTRACT NOTES; AND PAYMENT OF APPL ICABLE TAXES. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, DISALLOWANCES MADE ON THE BASIS OF S URMISES, CONJECTURES AND SUSPICION AND WITHOUT BRINGING ON RECORD ANY SP ECIFIC EVIDENCE ESTABLISHING THAT LOSS INCURRED IS NOT GENUINE AND THEREFORE NOT ALLOWABLE IS HIGHLY ARBITRARY, UNJUSTIFIED AND UNTENABLE. 2.2 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS FAILED TO APPRECIATE THAT ASSESSEE HAS NEVER DIRECTED THE BROKER NAMELY M/S. GAURAV INVESTMENTS & CONSULTANCY, TO CARRY OUT ANY TRANSACTION ON THEIR ACCOUNT WITH CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION FACILITY DURI NG THE INSTANT YEAR. 2.3 THAT FURTHER MORE THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF I NCOME TAX (APPEALS) HAS SUSTAINED THE ADDITION ON MERE SPECUL ATION, GENERALIZED STATEMENTS, THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS AND ALLEGATIONS AND ASSERTIONS, WITHOUT THERE BEING ANY SUPPORTING EVIDENCE AND IS THEREFORE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. 2.4 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS ERRED BOTH IN LAW AND ON FACTS IN FAILING TO APPRECIATE T HE WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS FURNISHED BY THE APPELLANT AND OVERLOOKING THE JUDI CIAL PRONOUNCEMENTS RELIED UPON BY THE APPELLANT. 2.5 THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (AP PEALS) HAS ERRED BOTH IN LAW AND ON FACTS IN RECORDING VARIOUS ADVER SE INFERENCES WHICH ARE CONTRARY TO THE FACTS ON RECORD, MATERIAL PLACED ON RECORD AND, ARE OTHERWISE UNSUSTAINABLE IN LAW AND THEREFORE, ADDIT ION SO CONFIRMED IS ABSOLUTELY UNWARRANTED. 3. THAT THE LEARNED COMMISSIONER INCOME TAX (APPEAL S) HAS FURTHER ERRED BOTH IN LAW AND ON FACTS IN UPHOLDING THE LEV Y OF INTEREST OF RS. 10,30,161/- U/S 234B OF THE ACT, AND RS. 1,887/- U/ S 234C OF THE ACT WHICH ARE NOT LEVIABLE ON THE FACTS OF THE INSTANT CASE IT IS THEREFORE, PRAYED THAT IT BE HELD THAT ASSESS MENT MADE BY THE LEARNED ASSESSING OFFICER AND SUSTAINED BY THE LEARNED COMM ISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) DESERVES TO BE QUASHED AS SUCH. IT BE FURTHER HELD ADDITION MADE OF RS. 31,90,855/- AND UPHELD BY THE LEARNED C OMMISSIONER OF ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 5 INCOME TAX (APPEALS) ALONGWITH INTEREST LEVIED BE D ELETED AND APPEAL OF THE APPELLANT BE ALLOWED. 5. THE LD. COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE STRONGLY CHALLE NGED THE ORDER OF THE CIT(A). SO FAR AS THE VALIDITY OF THE REASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS ARE CONCERNED THE LD. COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE SUBMITTED THAT SINCE T HE REASONS RECORDED FOR REOPENING OF THE ASSESSMENT WAS NOT SUPPLIED DURING THE COURSE OF ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS, THEREFORE, IT VITIATES THE REASSESSMEN T PROCEEDINGS. FURTHER THESE PROCEEDINGS WERE INITIATED U/S 147 OF THE IT ACT ON MERE CHANGE OF OPINION AND WERE NOT BASED ON ANY TANGIBLE AND RELEVANT MATERIA L. REOPENING HAS BEEN INITIATED BASED ON NON APPLICATION OF MIND AND THE APPROVAL WERE ALSO GRANTED IN A MECHANICAL MANNER. THEREFORE, THE REASSESSMENT P ROCEEDINGS ARE NULL AND VOID. 6. SO FAR AS THE MERIT OF THE CASE IS CONCERNED, RE FERRING TO PAGE 3 AND PARA 4.1 OF THE ASSESSMENT ORDER, THE LD. COUNSEL FOR TH E ASSESSEE DREW ATTENTION OF THE BENCH TO THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION OF THE ASSES SING OFFICER :- 4.1 OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, SOME PERSONS, IN CONNIVA NCE WITH BROKERS STARTED USING CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN GENUINE ERRORS. CONTRARY TO ITS MOTIVE, CCM FACILITY WAS BEING MISUSED AND B ROKERS TRANSFERRED GAINS OR LOSSES FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER BY CHANGING THE C ODE, IN THE GARB OF CORRECTING AN ERROR. THESE GAIN OR LOSS BOOK ENTRIES WERE T HEN USED TO EVADE TAXES. 7. REFERRING TO PARA 6 PAGE 11 OF THE ASSESSMENT OR DER, THE LD. COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE DREW THE ATTENTION OF THE BENCH TO THE FOLLOWING OBSERVATION OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER :- 6. IN RESPONSE, THE BROKER M/S. GAURAV INVESTMENT S & CONSULTANCY (PVT) LTD. HAS STATED THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS D ONE IN HIS OFFICE TO RECTIFY THE CLERICAL ERRORS / OPERATIONAL LACUNAE WHILE PUN CHING ORDERS AND IT WAS DONE BY OUR STAFF AFTER CONSULTING THE CLIENTS ON T HE CONDITIONS PREVAILING IN THE TRADING ROOM AT THAT TIME. NO SET PATTERN OF P UNCHING ERRORS CAN BE ASSUMED ASCERTAINED NOW. ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 6 8. HE SUBMITTED THAT THE WORD CONNIVANCE IS MISSI NG IN THE ABOVE FINDING OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER. THIS OTHERWISE MEANS THAT TH ERE WAS NO CONNIVANCE OF THE ASSESSEE WITH HIS BROKER FOR MANIPULATION OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION. REFERRING TO THE DECISION OF THE DELHI SMC BENCH IN THE CASE OF RADIANCE STOCK TRADERS PVT LTD VS. ITO IS VIDE ITA NO.4542/DEL/2018 ORDER DATE D 29.11.2018 AND THE DECISION OF THE JAIPUR BENCH OF THE TRIBUNAL IN THE CASE DCIT VS. GYANDEEP KHEMKA VIDE ITA NO.695/JP/2018 ORDER DATED 23.10.20 18 AND CROSS OBJECTION NO.15/JP/2018 FOR ASSESSMENT ORDER 2009-10, HE SUBM ITTED THAT THE ISSUE STANDS FULLY COVERED IN FAVOUR OF THE ASSESSEE BY T HE ABOVE DECISIONS. HE ACCORDINGLY SUBMITTED THAT THE ORDER OF THE CIT(A) BE SET ASIDE AND THE GROUNDS RAISED BY THE ASSESSEE BE ALLOWED. 9. THE LD. DR ON THE OTHER HAND HEAVILY RELIED ON T HE ORDER OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER AND CIT(A). 10. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE RIVAL ARGUMENTS MADE BY BOTH THE SIDES AND PERUSED THE MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD. WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THE VARIOUS DECISIONS CITED BEFORE US. WE FIND THE ASSESSING O FFICER, ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION RECEIVED IN THE SHAPE OF THE REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION WING OF AHEMDABAD, REOPENED THE ASSESSMENT U/S 147 OF THE I T ACT ON THE GROUND THAT ASSESSEE HAS MISUSED THE FACILITY OF CLIENT CODE MO DIFICATION PROVIDED TO STOCK BROKERS TO AVAIL CONTRIVED LOSS OF RS.31,90,855/- T HERE IS NO DISPUTE TO THE FACT THAT THE ASSESSEE IN THE INSTANT CASE HAS TRADED AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE THROUGH THE BROKER M/S. GAURAV INVESTMENT AND CONSULTANCY P RIVATE LIMITED. THERE IS ALSO NO DISPUTE TO THE FACT THAT THE ASSESSING OFFI CER DURING THE COURSE OF ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS HAS CALLED FOR CERTAIN INFOR MATION FROM THE SAID BROKER WHO HAS REPLIED TO THE QUERIES RAISED BY THE ASSESS ING OFFICER IN RESPONSE TO NOTICE U/S 133 (6) OF THE IT ACT AND THERE IS NO AL LEGATION BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER IN HIS FINDINGS THAT THERE WAS ANY CONNIVANCE BETWE EN THE ASSESSEE AND THE BROKER. 10.1 I FIND THAT THE JAIPUR BENCH OF THE TRIBUNAL I N THE CASE OF DCIT VS. GYANDEEP KHEMKA (SUPRA) UNDER IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANC ES HAS OBSERVED AS UNDER:- ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 7 11. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE RIVAL SUBMISSIONS AS WEL L AS RELEVANT MATERIAL ON RECORD. WE NOTE THAT THE ASSESSING OFFICER HAS REOP ENED THE ASSESSMENT ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION IN THE SHAPE OF THE RE PORT OF THE INVESTIGATION WING OF MUMBAI AND AHMADABAD. THERE IS NO DISPUTE T HAT THE ASSESSEE HAS DONE TRADE AT STOCK EXCHANGE THROUGH THE STOCK BROK ER M/S C.M. GOYENKA STOCK BROKERS PVT. LTD. AND DURING THE YEAR UNDER C ONSIDERATION, THERE WERE VARIOUS INSTANCES OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WHERE BY CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS WERE EXECUTED IN THE NAME OF THE ASSESSEE, WERE SUB SEQUENTLY MODIFIED AS TO THE OTHER CLIENTS OF THE SAID BROKER. THIS MODIFICA TION WAS DONE AS PER THE NORMS OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE WHICH ALLOWS THE BROKER S TO CARRY OUT NECESSARY CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION AFTER EXECUTION OF THE TRA DE BUT IN A LIMITED PERIOD OF V2 HOUR. THIS FACILITY IS NO DOUBT PROVIDED TO THE BROKERS TO RECTIFY THE GENUINE MISTAKES COMMITTED IN TYPING THE WRONG CODES OR THE MISTAKES IN PUNCHING THE CLIENT CODES AT THE TIME OF TRADE TRANSACTIONS ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE. THUS, IN SIMPLE WORDS, THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION FACIL ITY ALLOWS THE BROKER TO CORRECT THE MISTAKES WHICH ARE COMMITTED DURING THE COURSE OF DOING THE TRADE ON BEHALF OF THE VARIOUS CLIENTS. THERE MAY BE SOME INSTANCES OF MISUSING THIS FACILITY BY THE BROKERS BUT IT CANNOT BE DONE BY THE BROKER ON REGULAR BASIS AS THE BROKER IS BOUND TO CARRY OUT TRADING T RANSACTIONS AS PER THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CLIENT AND THEREFORE, UNTIL AND UNLESS ALL THREE PARTIES ARE HAND IN GLOVES OR IN-CONNIVANCE, SUCH MISUSE OF CLI ENT CODE MODIFICATION FACILITY CANNOT BE DONE BY A BROKER. THEREFORE, ALL THREE PARTIES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE CCOMMON INTENTION AND DESIGN WHICH IN NORMAL C OURSE IS NOT POSSIBLE WHEN THEY ARE NOT RELATED PARTIES AS THE TIME LIMIT TO MODIFY THE CLIENT CODE IS VERY LIMITED AFTER EXECUTION OF TRADE/TRANSACTION A T THE STOCK EXCHANGE. THE MEETING OF THREE MINDS IS ESSENTIAL FOR MISUSING TH IS FACILITY AND DOING THIS MISCHIEVOUS TRANSFER OF PROFITS FROM ONE HAND TO AN OTHER HAND. UNTIL AND UNLESS TWO CLIENTS AND BROKER ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AND INVOLVED IN DOING THIS MISCHIEVOUS ACT BY MISUSING THE FACILITY OF CL IENT CODE MODIFICATION SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE NOT POSSIBLE WHEN THE PARTIES ARE NOT RELATED TO EACH OTHER PARTY AND ARE INDEPENDENT CLIENTS OF A PARTICULAR B ROKER. IT IS POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN TWO CLIENTS TO A BROKER ARE CLOSELY RELATED PA RTIES AND CONTROLLED BY A SINGLE PERSON OR SET OF PERSONS THEN WITH THE CONNI VANCE WITH THE BROKER THIS KIND OF BOGUS TRANSACTIONS CAN BE DONE IN THE GARB OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION. ONCE THE PARTIES ARE INDEPENDENT AND HAVE NO RELATION THEN DOING SUCH TRANSACTION WITHIN SUCH LIMITED WINDOW P ERIOD OF 1/2 HOUR AFTER TRADING HOURS IS NOT POSSIBLE. THUS, THE MISUSE OF SUCH FACILITY IS POSSIBLE ONLY ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 8 WHEN ALL THREE PARTIES I.E. TWO CLIENTS AND ONE BRO KER HAVE THE COMMON INTEREST AND ARE CLOSELY RELATED PARTY. THESE TRANS ACTIONS ARE EVEN OTHERWISE CANNOT BE PREDESIGNED OR PLANNED AS IT CAN BE DONE ONLY AFTER TRANSACTION IS EXECUTED ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE AND SUBSEQUENTLY ONC E THE RESULT AND OUTCOME OF THE TRANSACTION IS KNOWN TO THE PARTIES, THE SAME CAN BE SHIFTED FROM ONE CLIENT TO ANOTHER CLIENT TO SERVE THE INTE REST OF PARTIES. PRIOR TO THE EXECUTION OF THE TRANSACTION, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONCEIVE OR PRECONCEIVE THE TRANSFER OF THE TRANSACTION FROM ONE ACCOUNT TO ANO THER ACCOUNT. . 11.1 WE NOTE THAT THIS ISSUE OF RECTIFICATION OF TH E ERROR BY USING THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION FACILITY HAS BEEN CONSIDERED AND DECIDED BY THIS TRIBUNAL IN THE SERIES OF DECISIONS AS RELIED BY THE ASSESSE E. THE COORDINATE BENCH OF THIS TRIBUNAL IN THE CASE OF NOBEL SECURITIES VS IT O (SUPRA) HAS ALSO CONSIDERED AN IDENTICAL ISSUE IN PARA 3.1 TO 3.4 AS UNDER: '3.1 APROPOS GROUND NO. 2 AND 2.1 OF THE ASSESSEE, THE FACTS AS EMERGES FROM THE ORDER OF THE LD. CIT(A) IS AS UNDER:- 5.3.1. I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ASSESSMENT ORDER AS WELL AS SUBMISSIONS MADE BY THE APPELLANT. FOLLOWING FACTS HAVE EMERGED . 1. THAT THE APPELLANT IS A PARTNERSHIP FIRM ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF TRADING IN SHARE. 2. THAT THE FIRM IS DOING TRADING ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIENTS. 3. THAT ON THE BASIS OF AN INFORMATION RECEIVED FRO M DIRECTORATE OF INCOME TAX (INTELLIGENCE & CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION) THAT THE AP PELLANT HAD BOOKED A LOSS OF RS. 27,63,104/- DUE TO MODIFICATION MADE BY THE ASS ESSEE IN F& O SEGMENT TO THE THIRD PARTIES THROUGH THE CLIENT CODE MODIFI CATION FACILITY. 4. THAT THE AO HAD REOPENED THE CASE U/S 148 OF THE ACT BY DULY RECORDING THE REASONS 5. THAT THE DETAIL OF REOPENING WAS PROVIDED TO THE ASSESSEE ON 17-04- 2015. ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 9 6. THAT THE ASSESSEE FIRM HAD RAISED OBJECTIONS TO THE REOPENING PROCEEDINGS. THE OBJECTIONS WERE DULY CONSIDERED BY THE AO AND A WRITTEN ORDER DISPOSING THE PETITION OF THE ASSESSEE WAS PASSED AND SERVED TO THE ASSESSEE. 7. THAT IT WAS FOUND BY THE AUTHORITIES THAT THE FI RM WAS FOUND USING CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION FACILITY IN F&O SEGMENT ON NSE DU RING THE YEAR UNDER CONSIDERATION. BY DOING THIS, IT IS ALLEGED THAT FI CTITIOUS LOSSES AND PROFITS WERE TRANSFERRED TO ITS CLIENTS. 8. THAT THE APPELLANT HAS CLAIMED THAT IT WAS A GEN UINE MISTAKE ON THE PART OF ITS STAFFS TO HAVE PUNCHED FIRM'S CODE INSTEAD O F ITS CLIENT'S CODE. AND THAT LATER ON WHEN SUCH A MISTAKE WAS NOTICED THE SAME W AS DELETED BY DELETING THE TRADING FROM THE FIRM'S CODE AND CREDITED TO TH E CLIENT'S CODE. 9. THAT THE APPELLANT HAS FURTHER SUBMITTED THAT TH E MISTAKE WAS DONE AT THE BROKER'S LEVEL AND THE FIRM SHOULD NOT BE HELD RESP ONSIBLE FOR MISTAKE COMMITTED BY THE BROKERS. 10. THAT THE APPELLANT HAS FURTHER SUBMITTED THAT C LIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS ARE A VERY LEGITIMATE TRANSACTIONS WHERE IF ANY MIS TAKE IS COMMITTED THEN IT HAS TO BE RECTIFIED WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF THE CLOSE OF TRADING SESSION. 5.3.2 I HAVE CONSIDERED THE ABOVE MENTIONED FACTS. I HAVE PARTICULARLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STOCK EXCHANGE WHERE A TRADING IS DONE ON THE BASIS OF PURCHASE TRANSACTION ENTERED BY THE BR OKERS. THE BROKER DOES IT ON THE ADVICE OF THE SUB-BROKERS/ CLIENTS. HERE IN THIS CASE THE BROKER I.E. M/S. ARTISTIC FINANCE (P) LTD. HAD BOOKED PURCHASE/ SALE OF SCRIP ON THE ADVICE OF THE APPELLANT I.E. M/S. NOBLE SECURITIES USING THE CLIENT CODE OF M/S. NOBLE SECURITIES. LATER, M/S. NOBLE SECURITIES ADVI SED THE BROKER M/S. ARTISTIC FINANCE (P) LTD. TO MODIFY THE CLIENT CODE AND BOOK IT IN THE NAME OF THE OTHER CLIENTS OF M/S. NOBLE SECURITIES. THUS, THE TRANSAC TIONS WHICH WERE EARLIER MADE IN THE NAME OF THE APPELLANT WERE TRANSFERRED TO THIRD PARTIES. THE APPELLANT HAS CLAIMED THAT THE PURCHASES WERE WRONG LY DONE IN THE NAME OF M/S. NOBLE SECURITIES INADVERTENTLY PUNCHING ITS CL IENT CODE AND THAT SUBSEQUENTLY IT WAS RECTIFIED BY THE BROKERS WITHIN TIME ALLOWED BY THE EXCHANGE. SO THE WHOLE SUBMISSION OF THE APPELLANT IS HINGED UPON THE INADVERTENT MISTAKE OF THE STAFF IN PUNCHING THE WR ONG CLIENT CODE I.E. CLIENT CODE OF THE APPELLANT INSTEAD OF CLIENT CODE OF ITS CLIENTS. HOWEVER, THE ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 10 APPELLANT'S CLAIM, TO MY MIND, IS HOLLOW AS CLEARLY MADE OUT BY THE AO IN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER THAT SUCH MODIFICATIONS ARE DONE 2 380 TIMES INVOLVING 55 CLIENTS OVER A PERIOD OF 197 DAYS DURING THE YEAR U NDER CONSIDERATION. MISTAKE CANNOT BE REPEATED SO BRAZENLY OVER SUCH A NUMBER OF TIMES. EVEN IF THE END OF THE SESSION, STILL THE FACILITY CANNOT B E ALLOWED TO BE MANIPULATED FOR UNDUE GAINS AND CREATE A SITUATION WHERE THE IN COME/LOSS CAN BE DIVERTED. IN THIS REGARD, I HAVE ALSO TAKEN INTO AC COUNT THE APEX COURT JUDGEMENT IN THE CASE OF MCDOWELL & CO. LTD. IT IS WORTHWHILE TO QUOTE FROM THE LANDMARK JUDGEMENT AS UNDER:- ''MISRA,J. WHO DELIVERED JUDGEMENT ON BEHALF OF HIM SELF AND THREE OTHER JUDGES (OTHER THAN REDDY. J.) EXTRACTED THE FOLLOWI NG OBSERVATION FROM THE JUDGEMENT OF GUJARAT HIGH COURT (ITR PP 200- 01) IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. SAKARLAL BALABHAI (AFFIRMED BY THE SUPREME COURT IN CIT VS. VADILAL LALLUBHAI): (SCC 253-54, PARA 43) ' 'TAX AVOIDANCE POSTULATES THAT THE ASSESSEE IS IN R ECEIPT OF AMOUNT WHICH IS REALLY AND IN TRUTH HIS INCOME LIABLE TO TAX BUT ON WHICH HE AVOID PAYMENT OF TAX BY SOME ARTIFICE OR DEVICE. SUCH ARTIFICE OR DE VICE MAY APPARENTLY SHOW THE INCOME AS ACCRUING TO ANOTHER PERSON, AT THE SA ME TIME MAKING IT AVAILABLE FORUSE AND ENJOYMENT TO THE ASSESSEE'S AS IN A CASE FALLING WITHIN SECTION 44-D OR MASK THE TRUE CHARACTER OF THE INCO ME BY DISGUISING IT AS A CAPITAL RECEIPT AS IN A CASE FALLING WITHIN SECTION 44-E OR ASSUME DIVERSE OTHER FORMS... BUT THERE MUST BE SOME ARTIFICE OR D EVICE ENABLING THE ASSESSEE TO AVOID PAYMENT OF TAX ON WHAT IS REALLY AND IN TR UTH HIS INCOME. IF THE ASSESSEE PARTS WITH HIS INCOME-PRODUCING ASSET, SO THAT THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE INCOME ARISING FROM THE ASSET WHICH THERETOFORE BEL ONGED TO THE ASSESSEE IS TRANSFERRED TO AND VESTED IN SOME OTHER PERSON, THE RE IS NO AVOIDANCE OF TAX LIABILITY: NO PART OF THE INCOME FROM THE ASSET GOE S INTO THE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE IN THE SHAPE OF INCOME OR UNDER ANY GUISE' '. THEN, MISRA. J. RESPONDED: (SCC PP. 254-55, PARA 45 )''45. TAX PLANNING MAY BE LEGITIMATE PROVIDED IT IS WITHIN THE FRAME WORK OF LAW. COLOURABLE DEVICE CANNOT BE PART OF TAX PLANNING AND IT IS WRONG TO E NCOURAGE OR ENTERTAIN THE BELIEF THAT IT IS HONOURABLE TO AVOID THE PAYMENT O F TAX BY RESORTING TO DUBIOUS METHODS. IT IS THE OBLIGATION OF EVERY CITIZEN TO P AY THE TAXES HONESTLY WITHOUT RESORTING TO SUBTERFUGES.'' ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 11 IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE APPELLANT IS FOUND TO BE INDULGED IN LARGE USE OF FACILITY TO BOOK A LOSS IN THE BOOK BY DIVERTING A PART OF TRANSACTION TO ITS CLIENTS. THIS TYPE OF TRANSACTIONS PARTICULARLY GIV ES UNDUE ADVANTAGE IN F& O SEGMENT WHERE LOSS AND EVEN INCOME CAN BE BOOKED IN CLIENTS FAVOUR TO GIVE ADVANTAGE TO THEM AND ALSO BOOK LOSSES AGAINST THEI R OWN INCOME. AT THE END OF THE SESSION WHEN THE RELATIVE ADVANTAGE OF A TRA NSACTION CAN BE EASILY EVALUATED AND THEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION, SUCH TRANSACTION CAN BE TRANSFERRED TO CLIENT'S ACCOUNT DEPENDING UPON THE CLIENT'S REQUIREMENT AND THUS REAL INCOME FROM SUCH TRANSACT IONS CAN BE SUITABLY COMPROMISED. THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE REGULARITY W ITH WHICH SUCH TRANSACTIONS HAVE BEEN EFFECTED, THE AO IS JUSTIFIE D IN REJECTING THE CLAIM OF THE APPELLANT AND ADDED SUCH TRANSACTION IN THE HAN D OF THE APPELLANT'S INCOME. ACCORDINGLY, THE ADDITION OF RS. 27,63,104/ - IS SUSTAINED. APPELLANT'S GROUND OF APPEAL ON THE ISSUE IS DISMISSED.'' 3.2 DURING THE COURSE OF HEARING, THE LD. AR OF THE ASSESSEE PRAYED FOR DELETION OF ADDITION BY FILING THE FOLLOWING WRITTE N SUBMISSION. ''1. IT IS SUBMITTED THAT THE ASSESSEE IS A TRADING IN SHARE BUSINESS NOT IN THE CAPACITY OF BROKER BUT ON ITS OWN ACCOUNT AND FOR I T CLIENTS. THE ASSESSEE, ITSELF, IS A CLIENT OF M/S ARTISTIC FINANCE PVT. LT D WHICH CARRIED OUT TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE ASSESSEE AND THE CLIE NTS OF THE ASSESSEE. EVERY CLIENT IS ASSIGNED A UNIQUE CLIENT CODE WHICH IS PU NCHED IN AT THE TIME OF TRANSACTIONS. THE AO ISSUED NOTICE U/S 131 TO M/S A RTISTIC FINANCE PVT. LTD. WHO VIDE LETTER DATED 05.03.2016 (PB 37-38) EXPLAIN ED THAT THE ASSESSEE IS ITS MAJOR CLIENT AND PROVIDES THEM WITH A HUGE VOLU ME OF TRANSACTIONS. THE OPERATING STAFF WHO ARE NOT WELL QUALIFIED, TO SAVE TIME HAD PREFIXED THE CLIENT CODE OF THE ASSESSEE IN THE SYSTEM AS DEFAULT WHICH LED TO ERROR IN PUNCHING OF CLIENT CODES AT THE TIME OF TRANSACTIONS. TO REC TIFY THE ERROR IN PUNCHING OF CLIENT CODE, A FACILITY KNOWN AS 'CLIENT CODE MODIF ICATION (CCM)' IS PROVIDED BY THE STOCK EXCHANGE TILL 4:15 PM OF THE TRADE DAY ITSELF. THIS CAN BE DONE ON ONLY WRITTEN REQUEST OF THE CLIENTS (COPIES OF LETT ERS ENCLOSED AT PB 39- 46). 2. IT IS SUBMITTED THAT IN ANY GIVEN DAY, THOUSANDS OF TRANSACTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT BY BROKERS. THE CCM FACILITY IS PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE TO RECTIFY THE ERRORS / MISTAKES MADE AT THE TIME O F PUNCHING TRADES. THE NATIONAL STOCK EXCHANGE OF INDIA LIMITED HAS PROVID ED CERTAIN GUIDELINES AND ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 12 PENALTIES RELATING TO THE CCM FACILITY (PB 20-26). AS PER THE STOCK EXCHANGE, CCM FACILITY CAN BE USED TO MODIFY THE CLIENT CODE ON THE TRADE DAY ITSELF TILL 4:15 PM (PB 20). THIS IS ALSO STATED IN CIRCULAR NO . 974 DATED 10.09.2009 OF THE NATIONAL SECURITIES CLEARING CORPORATION LIMITE D FOR ITS FUTURES & OPTIONS SEGMENT (PB 25-26). THE STOCK EXCHANGE HAS ALSO DRA WN A LIST OF THE COMMON VIOLATIONS COMMITTED AND THE APPLICABLE PENALTIES ( PB 21-24) WHERE IT IS STATED THAT 'IF THE TRANSFER OF TRADES / ERRORS AT THE TIME OF ORDER ENTRIES ARE IN EXCESS OF 2% OF THE NUMBER OF ORDERS EXECUTED, FINE OF 0.1% OF VALUE OF TRADES TRANSFERRED IS APPLICABLE'. 3. THE BROKER ON AN AVERAGE EXECUTES MORE THAN 5000 TRADES IN A DAY. AS IS CALCULATED BY THE AO, THE EXCHANGE IS OPERATIVE ONL Y 260 DAYS IN A YEAR. THUS, IN A YEAR APPROXIMATELY 13 LAKHS TRADES ARE C ARRIED OUT BY THE BROKER. THEREFORE, THE FACT THAT DURING THE YEAR, THE BROKE R HAD CARRIED OUT 2380 MODIFICATIONS BY USING CCM FACILITY IS IRRELEVANT A S IT IS ONLY 0.18% OF THE TOTAL TRADES CARRIED OUT BY THE BROKER DURING THE Y EAR. ALSO, THE FACT THE ASSESSEE'S CLIENT CODE WAS SET AS DEFAULT IN THE SY STEM IS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE BROKER. THE ASSESSEE HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE SYSTEM. THE CLIENT BRINGS TO THE NOTICE OF THE BROKER ANY MISTAKE/ ERROR IN T HE CLIENT CODE. 4. A STATEMENT SHOWING THE DETAILS OF MODIFIED CLIE NT NAMES AND THE PROFIT/LOSS TO THE MODIFIED CLIENT DUE TO CCM IS AT PB 27-32. ALSO BY REPLY DATED 15.02.2016 (PB 33-34), THE ASSESSEE HAD SUBMI TTED THE CONFIRMATIONS OF ITS PARTIES IN WHOSE CASE MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEE N CARRIED OUT. THIS SHOWS THAT THE PROFIT/LOSS ARE OF THE CLIENTS OF M/S ARTI STIC FINANCE PVT. LTD. WHICH IS WRONGLY PUNCHED BY IT TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE ASSESSE E AND WHEN POINTED OUT, IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE RESPECTIVE CLIENT ACCOUNT WHO HAVE SHOWN THE SAME IN THEIR RETURN OF INCOME. THUS, ASSESSEE HAS NOTHI NG TO DO WITH THIS LOSS AND THEREFORE, THERE DOES NOT ARISE ANY QUESTION TO DIS ALLOW THE SAME. 5. THE LD. CIT(A) ONLY ON SURMISES AND CONJECTURES OBSERVED THAT THESE TRANSACTIONS ARE OF THE ASSESSEE IGNORING THAT M/S ARTISTIC FINANCE PVT. LTD. HAS ADMITTED THAT THESE TRANSACTIONS ARE NOT OF THE ASSESSEE. THE RELIANCE PLACED BY HIM IN CASE OF MCDOWELL & CO. LTD. IS THU S MISPLACED AND NOT APPLICABLE. 6. RELIANCE IN THIS CONNECTION IS PLACED IN THE CAS E OF ACIT VS. KUNVARJI FINANCE PVT. LTD. 119 DTR 1 (AHD.) (TRIB.) WHERE IT WAS HELD THAT AS PER ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 13 CIRCULAR NO. MCX/T&S/032/2007 DT. 22.01.2007 ISSUED BY THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE, CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS PERMITTED INT RA-DAY I.E. ON THE SAME DAY. THERE IS NO PENALTY IF THE CLIENT CODE MODIFIC ATION IS UPTO 1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL ORDERS. IN THE PRESENT CASE, CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS MADE BY THE ASSESSEE BEING ONLY 0.94 PER CENT I.E. LESS THAT 1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL TRADING TRANSACTIONS, CANNOT BE SAID TO BE UNUSUALLY HIGH O R MALA FIDE WHEN THE MODIFICATION WAS MADE ON THE SAME DAY. HAD THE CLIE NT MODIFICATION BEEN DONE AFTER THE TRANSACTION PERIOD WHEN THE PRICE OF THE COMMODITY HAD CHANGED, THEN PERHAPS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME BA SIS TO PRESUME THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS INTENTIONAL. EVEN IF T HE VIEW OF THE REVENUE IS ACCEPTED THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS DONE WIT H MALA FIDE INTENTION, THEN THE PROFIT OR LOSS ACCRUING TILL THE CLIENT CODE MO DIFICATION CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE BUT THE PROFIT/LOSS ARISIN G AFTER SUCH MODIFICATION CAN BY NO STRETCH OF IMAGINATION BE CONSIDERED IN T HE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE. MOREOVER, CIT(A) HAVING FOUND THAT ALL TRANSACTIONS AT THE COMMODITIES EXCHANGE HAVE BEEN DULY ACCOUNTED IN THE BOOKS OF A CCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE CONCERNED PARTIES, THERE CANNOT BE ANY JUSTIFIC ATION FOR CONSIDERING THAT PROFIT/LOSS IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE ON THE BASI S OF MERE PRESUMPTION OR SUSPICION. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, THE LD. CIT(A) IS NOT JUSTIFI ED IN CONFIRMING THE ADDITION MADE BY THE AO AND THE SAME BE DELETED.'' 3.3 DURING THE COURSE OF HEARING, THE LD. DR RELIED ON THE ORDERS OF THE AUTHORITIES BELOW. 3.4 I HAVE HEARD THE RIVAL CONTENTIONS AND PERUS ED THE MATERIALS AVAILABLE ON RECORD. IT IS NOTED THAT THE ASSESSEE IS A PARTN ERSHIP FIRM ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF TRADING OF TRADING IN SHARES. IT IS NOT ED THAT THE ASSESSEE ITSELF IS A CLIENT OF M/S. ARTISTIC FINANCE (P) LTD. WHICH CA RRIED OUT BUSINESS ON BEHALF OF THE ASSESSEE AND THE CLIENTS OF THE ASSESSEE. IT IS NOTED THAT EVERY CLIENT IS PROVIDED A UNIQUE CODE WHICH IS PUNCHED WHILE MAKIN G THE TRANSACTIONS. IT IS NOTED THAT SOMETIME THE OPERATING STAFF IS NOT WELL VERSED WITH THE SYSTEM WHO AT THE TIME OF MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN SHARES AN D IN ORDER TO SAVE TIME, PREFIXED THE CLIENT CODE OF THE ASSESSEE IN THE SYS TEM AS DEFAULT WHICH SOMETIME LED TO ERROR IN PUNCHING OF CLIENT CODES. IN ORDER TO RECTIFY THE PUNCHING OF CLIENT CODE, A FACILITY I.E. CLIENT COD E MODIFICATION (IN SHORT CCM) ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 14 IS PROVIDED BY THE STOCK EXCHANGE TILL 4:15 PM OF T HE TRADE DAY BY ITSELF WHICH CAN BE DONE ONLY ON WRITTEN REQUEST BY THE CL IENT. IT IS ALSO MENTIONED IN CIRCULAR NO. 974 DATED 10.09.2009 OF THE NATIONA L SECURITIES CLEARING CORPORATION LIMITED FOR ITS FUTURES & OPTIONS SEGME NT (PB 25-26). THE STOCK EXCHANGE HAS ALSO DRAWN A LIST OF THE COMMON VIOLAT IONS COMMITTED AND THE APPLICABLE PENALTIES (PB 21-24) WHERE IT IS STATED THAT 'IF THE TRANSFER OF TRADES / ERRORS AT THE TIME OF ORDER ENTRIES ARE IN EXCESS OF 2% OF THE NUMBER OF ORDERS EXECUTED, FINE OF 0.1% OF VALUE OF TRADES TRANSFERRED IS APPLICABLE'. IT IS ALSO NOTED FROM THE RECORDS THAT THE DURING THE YEAR THE BROKER HAD CARRIED OUT THE BROKER HAD CARRIED OUT 2380 MODIFICATIONS B Y USING CCM FACILITY WHICH IS ONLY 0.18% OF THE TOTAL TRADES CARRIED OUT BY THE BROKER DURING THE YEAR. IT IS NOTED THAT THE ASSESSEE'S CLIENT CODE W AS SET AS DEFAULT IN THE SYSTEM IS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF THE BROKER. THE AS SESSEE HAS NO CONTROL OVER THE SYSTEM. THE CLIENT BRINGS TO THE NOTICE OF THE BROKER ANY MISTAKE/ ERROR IN THE CLIENT CODE. IT MAY BE NOTED THAT ITAT AHEMDABA D BENCH IN THE CASE OF ACIT VS. KUNVARJI FINANCE (P) LTD. 119 LD. DR 1 HAD OBSERVED THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS PERMITTED INTRA DAY I.E. ON TH E SAME DAY. THE RELEVANT PORTION OF THE DECISION IS AS UNDER:- ''AS PER CIRCULAR NO. MCX/T&S/032/2007 DT. 22.01.20 07 ISSUED BY THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE, CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS PER MITTED INTRADAY I.E. ON THE SAME DAY. THERE IS NO PENALTY IF THE CLIENT COD E MODIFICATION IS UPTO 1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL ORDERS. IN THE PRESENT CASE, CLIE NT CODE MODIFICATIONS MADE BY THE ASSESSEE BEING ONLY 0.94 PER CENT I.E. LESS THA T 1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL TRADING TRANSACTIONS, CANNOT BE SAID TO BE UNUSUALL Y HIGH OR MALA FIDE WHEN THE MODIFICATION WAS MADE ON THE SAME DAY. HAD THE CLIENT MODIFICATION BEEN DONE AFTER THE TRANSACTION PERIOD WHEN THE PRICE OF THE COMMODITY HAD CHANGED, THEN PERHAPS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME BA SIS TO PRESUME THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS INTENTIONAL. EVEN IF T HE VIEW OF THE REVENUE IS ACCEPTED THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS DONE WIT H MALA FIDE INTENTION, THEN THE PROFIT OR LOSS ACCRUING TILL THE CLIENT CODE MO DIFICATION CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE BUT THE PROFIT/LOSS ARISIN G AFTER SUCH MODIFICATION CAN BY NO STRETCH OF IMAGINATION BE CONSIDERED IN T HE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE. MOREOVER, CIT(A) HAVING FOUND THAT ALL TRANSACTIONS AT THE COMMODITIES EXCHANGE HAVE BEEN DULY ACCOUNTED IN THE BOOKS OF A CCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE CONCERNED PARTIES, THERE CANNOT BE ANY JUSTIFIC ATION FOR CONSIDERING THAT PROFIT/LOSS IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE ON THE BASI S OF MERE PRESUMPTION OR ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 15 SUSPICION.'' RESPECTFULLY FOLLOWING THE DECISION OF ITAT AHEMDABAD BENCH (SUPRA), THE GROUND NO. 2 AND 2.1 OF THE ASSESSEE I S ALLOWED.' THUS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE STOCK EXCHANGE HAS ACCEP TED THE REASONABLE ERROR MARGIN UP TO 5% AND UNDISPUTEDLY IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE, THE ERROR AND RECTIFICATION OF THE SAME BY USING THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION CONSTITUTE ONLY 0.47%, THEREFORE, THE PERCENTAGE OF TRADE WHICH ARE RECTIFIED ARE NOT ONLY WITHIN THE RANGE BUT IT IS ON LOWER SIDE OF THE RAN GE OF ERROR MARGIN ACCEPTABLE IN SUCH TRANSACTIONS. THE MUMBAI BENCHES OF THE TRI BUNAL IN THE CASE OF ITO VS. M/S PAT COMMODITY SERVICES P. LTD. HAS CONSIDER ED THIS ISSUE IN PARA 11 TO 16 AS UNDER: '11. WE HAVE HEARD RIVAL CONTENTIONS AND PERUSED TH E RECORD. A CAREFUL PERUSAL OF THE ORDER PASSED BY THE LD CIT(A) WOULD SHOW THAT THE LD CIT(A) HAS MET EACH AND EVERY POINT RAISED BY THE ASSESSIN G OFFICER. THE LD CIT(A) HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE AO HAS NOT BROUGHT ON RECO RD ANY MATERIAL TO SHOW THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION MADE BY THE ASSES SEE WAS NOT GENUINE ONE. IT WAS FURTHER NOTICED THAT NONE OF THE CLIENTS EXA MINED BY THE TAX AUTHORITIES HAS DISOWNED THE TRANSACTIONS CARRIED ON BY THE ASS ESSEE. AS NOTICED BY THE LD CIT(A), THE MCX, THE STOCK ITA NO. 695/JP/2018 & CO 15/JP/2018 DCIT VS. GYANDEEP KHEMKA EXCHANGE, IS VERY MUCH AWARE AB OUT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS AND HENCE IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE FREQ UENCY OF MODIFICATIONS, IT HAS BROUGHT IN PENALTY MECHANISM. EVEN UNDER THE PE NALTY MECHANISM ALSO, NO PENALTY SHALL BE LEVIABLE IF THE MODIFICATION WA S LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL TRANSACTIONS, MEANING THEREBY, THE MCX IS ALSO ACCE PTING THE FACT THAT SUCH KIND OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS INEVITABLE. 12. UNDER THESE SET OF FACTS, THE NEXT QUESTION THA T ARISES IS - WHETHER THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION HAS RESULTED INTO SHIFTING OF PROFITS, OTHERWISE EARNED BY THE ASSESSEE. IT IS A FACT THAT THE ASSESSEE COM PANY HAS STARTED ITS OPERATIONS ONLY IN JULY, 2005 BY CONVERTING INDIVID UAL MEMBERSHIP INTO CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP. FURTHER, THE COMMODITY EXCHAN GE WAS ABOUT 3-4 YEARS OLD ONLY AT THE RELEVANT POINT OF TIME. HENCE , THE ASSESSEE CANNOT BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN ESTABLISHED PLAYER IN THE YEARS UNDER CONSIDERATION. FURTHER, THE MOVEMENT OF PRICES OF COMMODITIES CANN OT BE PREDICTED BY ANYONE WITH ACCURACY AND HENCE IT IS INCONCEIVABLE OR UNLIKELY THAT THE ASSESSEE COULD HAVE MADE PROFITS CONSISTENTLY, EVEN IF IT IS ASSUMED FOR A ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 16 MOMENT THAT THE ASSESSEE HAD ACTUALLY CARRIED OUT T HE TRANSACTIONS FOR ITS OWN BENEFIT. WE NOTICE THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS OFFERE D EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY IT CARRIED OUT THE TRANSACTIONS IN ITS OWN CODE, I. E. SINCE THE TIMING OF ENTERING THE TRANSACTIONS IS CRUCIAL IN THE ONLINE TRADING, THE STAFFS OF THE ASSESSEE COMPANY FOUND IT CONVENIENT TO PUNCH ITS OWN CODE. FURTHER, WE NOTICE THAT THE FACT THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS CHANGED THE CODE TO THE CONCERNED CLIENT'S ACCOUNT AT THE END OF THE DAY HAS NOT BEEN DISPROVE D. IF AT ALL ANY PERSON COMES WITH A REQUEST SEEKING PROFITS, THERE WILL NO RMALLY BE TIME LAG AND HENCE THE FACT THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS CHANGED THE CO DES AT THE END OF THE DAY ONLY SHOWS THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS CARRIED OUT THE TR ANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIENTS ONLY. SUCH KIND OF TRANSACTIONS SHALL USUAL LY BE SPORADIC TRANSACTIONS, WHERE AS IN THE INSTANT * CASE, THE CLIENTS HAVE CA RRIED OUT THE TRANSACTIONS CONTINUOUSLY. FURTHER, IT IS PERTINENT TO NOTE THAT NONE OF THE CLIENTS, WITH WHOM THE ASSESSING OFFICER HAS CARRIED OUT THE EXAM INATION, HAS DISOWNED THE TRANSACTIONS. FURTHER, ALL THE CLIENTS HAVE DUL Y DISCLOSED THE PROFITS ARISING FROM THE TRANSACTIONS AS THEIR RESPECTIVE I NCOME. THOUGH THE AO HAS ALLEGED THAT THE SAID PROFITS HAVE BEEN USED TO SET OFF THE PAST BROUGHT FORWARD LOSSES, YET THE LD CIT(A) HAS MADE A DETAIL ED ANALYSIS OF THIS MATTER AND HAS GIVEN A CLEAR FINDING THAT THE SAME WAS NOT TRUE IN ALL THE CASES. THE LD CIT(A) HAS POINTED OUT THAT MAJORITY OF THE CLIE NTS HAVE PAID TAX ON THE PROFITS. IT WAS FURTHER NOTICED THAT THE SOME OF TH E TRANSACTIONS HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS ALSO AND THE SAID LOSS HAS ALSO BEEN ACCEPT ED BY THE CONCERNED CLIENTS. ALI THESE FACTORS, IN OUR VIEW, GO TO SHOW THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS CARRIED OUT THE TRANSACTIONS ON BEHALF OF ITS CLIEN TS ONLY, EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSACTIONS WERE EXECUTED IN THE CODE OF THE ASSES SEE INITIALLY. 13. FURTHER, THE LD CIT(A) HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE RE WAS NO MODIFICATION OF CLIENT CODE TO THE TUNE OF RS.3.31 CRORES AND FURTH ER THERE WAS CHANGE OF CODE FROM ONE CLIENT TO ANOTHER CLIENT TO THE TUNE OF RS .6.16 CRORES. IN BOTH THESE CASES, THE QUESTION OF SHIFTING OF PROFIT EARNED BY THE ASSESSEE DOES NOT ARISE AT ALL. THE ACTION OF THE AO IN ASSESSING THE ABOVE SAID PROFITS IN THE HANDS OF THE ASSESSEE ONLY SHOW THAT THERE WAS NO PROPER APP LICATION OF MIND ON THE PART OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER. 14. ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT THAT IS RELEVANT HERE I S THAT NONE OF THE CLIENTS WAS SHOWN AS RELATED TO THE ASSESSEE HEREIN. NORMAL LY THE QUESTION OF SHIFTING OF PROFIT WOULD ARISE BETWEEN THE RELATED PARTIES ONLY. IF THE ASSESSEE ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 17 HAD REALLY SHIFTED THE PROFITS TO AN OUTSIDER, THEN THE HUMAN PROBABILITIES WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE ASSESSEE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED BACK CORRESPONDING AMOUNT FROM THE RECIPIENT OF PROFIT. HOWEVER, IN TH E INSTANT CASE, THE AO HAS NOT BROUGHT ANY MATERIAL ON RECORD TO SHOW THAT THE ASSESSEE HAD RECEIVED BACK CORRESPONDING AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE AMOUNT OF PROFIT CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN SHIFTED TO THE CLIENTS. THE AO HAS MAINLY RELI ED UPON THE REPORT GIVEN BY THE MCX AND HAS DRAWN ADVERSE CONCLUSIONS WITHOUT B RINGING ANY MATERIAL TO SUPPORT HIS VIEW. 15. THE LD CIT(A) HAS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT MODIFIC ATIONS CARRIED OUT BY THE ASSESSEE WORKS OUT TO AROUND 3% OF THE TOTAL TRANSA CTIONS ONLY AND IN OUR VIEW, THE SAID VOLUME, IN FACT, VINDICATES THE EXPL ANATION OF THE ASSESSEE. FURTHER NONE OF THE CLIENTS HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE BO GUS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE COMPLIED WITH KYC NORMS, MEANING THEREBY THE IDENTI TY OF ALL THE CLIENTS STAND PROVED. NONE OF THEM HAS DISOWNED THE TRANSAC TIONS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE ALSO DECLARED THE INCOME IN THEIR RESPECTIVE R ETURNS OF INCOME. ALL THESE FACTORS, IN OUR VIEW, SUPPORT THE CONTENTIONS OF TH E ASSESSEE. 16. IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING DISCUSSIONS, WE ARE OF THE VIEW THAT THE LD CIT(A) WAS JUSTIFIED IN DELETING THE ADDITIONS MADE IN BOT H THE YEARS UNDER CONSIDERATION. IN OUR VIEW ALSO, THE ASSESSING OFFI CER HAS DRAWN ADVERSE CONCLUSIONS AGAINST THE ASSESSEE WITHOUT PROPERLY B RINGING ANY MATERIALS TO SUPPORT THE VIEW, I.E., THE ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN MAD E ON SUSPICION AND SURMISES ONLY. ACCORDINGLY, WE UPHOLD THE ORDER OF LD CIT(A) IN BOTH THE YEARS UNDER CONSIDERATION.' THUS, IN THE SAID CASE, THE MODIFICATION CARRIED OU T BY THE ASSESSEE WERE 3% OF THE TOTAL TRANSACTION, WHICH WAS FOUND BY THE TR IBUNAL AS WITHIN THE PERMISSIBLE LIMIT OF ERROR MARGIN. THE AHMADABAD BE NCHES OF THE TRIBUNAL IN THE CASE OF ACIT VS. M/S KUNVARJIT FINANCE PVT. LTD . (SUPRA) AND OTHERS IN BUNCH OF APPEALS HAS ANALYSED THE ISSUE IN PARA 8 T O 11 AS UNDER: '8. WE HAVE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE ARGUMENTS OF B OTH THE SIDES AND PERUSED THE MATERIAL PLACED BEFORE US. THE ASSESSIN G OFFICER BELIEVED THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION TO BE MALAFIDE BECAUSE IN HIS OPINION THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS FOR UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF CASES . THEREFORE, FIRST THING TO BE DECIDED IS WHETHER THERE WAS THE CLIENT ITA NO. 695/JP/2018 & CO ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 18 15/JP/2018 DCIT VS. GYANDEEP KHEMKA CODE MODIFICATI ON FOR UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF CASES. THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE I.E. M CX VIDE CIRCULAR NO.MCX/T&S/032/2007 DATED 22.01.2007, ISSUED GUIDEL INES WITH REGARD TO THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION, WHICH READS AS UNDER: - 'CIRCULAR NO. MCX/T&S/032/2007 JANUARY 22, 2007 CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS IN TERMS OF PROVISIONS OF THE RULES, BYE-LAWS AND B USINESS RULES OF THE EXCHANGE, THE MEMBERS OF THE EXCHANGE ARE NOTIFIED AS UNDER: FORWARD MARKETS COMMISSION (FMC) VIDE ITS LETTER NO . 6/3/2006/MKT-II (VOL III) DATED DECEMBER 20, 2006 AND JANUARY 5, 2007 HA S DIRECTED AS UNDER. A. THE FACILITY OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS INTRA- DAY ARE ALLOWED. B. THE MEMBERS ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO CHANGE THEIR CLI ENT CODES BETWEEN 5:00 P.M. TO 5:15 P.M., IN CASE OF THE CONTRACTS TRADED TILL 5:00 P.M. AND BETWEEN 11:30 P.M. TO 11:45 P.M. FOR THE CONTRACTS TRADED T ILL 11:30 P.M. ON ALL THE TRADING DAYS FROM MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS AND ON SATURDA YS THE SAME SHALL BE ALLOWED BETWEEN 2:00 P.M. TO 2:15 P.M. C. HOWEVER, ON THE DAYS WHEN TRADING IN COMMODITIES TAKES PLACE TILL 11:55 P.M. THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WILL BE ALLOWED O NLY UPTO 12:00 P.M. D. AT ALL TIMES, PROPRIETARY TRADES SHALL NOT BE AL LOWED TO BE MODIFIED AS CLIENT TRADES AND CLIENT TRADES SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE MODIFIED AS PROPRIETARY TRADES. E. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT CLIENT CODES ARE ENTERED WITH ALERTNESS AND CARE, A PENALTY ON THE CLIENT CODE CHANGES MADE ON A DAILY BASIS SHALL BE IMPOSED AS UNDER: S. PERCENTAGE OF CLIENT CODE CHANGED P ENALTY (RS.) NO TO TOTAL ORDERS (MATCHED) ON A DAILY BASIS 1 LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 1% NIL NIL 2 GREATER THAN 1% BUT LESS THAN OR 500 EQUAL TO 5% 3 GREATER THAN 5% BUT LESS THAN OR 1000 EQUAL TO 10% 4 GREATER THAN 10% 10000 F. IT IS CLARIFIED THAT THE FACILITY OF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS ALLOWED AS AN INTERIM MEASURE ONLY UPTO MARCH 31, 2007 AND AFTER THIS DATE THE SAID FACILITY WILL BE COMPLETELY STOPPED. ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 19 WITH REFERENCE TO POINT C. AS REFERRED ABOVE, MEMBE RS MAY PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS WILL BE ALLOWED ONLY UPTO 11:55 P.M. INTERNATIONAL REFERENCEABLE COMMODITIES (I.E. COMMO DITIES TRADED UPTO 11:55 P.M.) MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO TAKE NOTE OF THE FMC DIREC TIVES AND ENSURE STRICT COMPLIANCE.' FROM THE ABOVE, IT IS EVIDENT THAT CLIENT CODE MODI FICATION IS PERMITTED INTRA- DAY, I.E. ON THE SAME DAY. AS PER COMMODITY EXCHANG E, IF CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS UPTO 1% OF THE TOTAL ORDERS, THERE IS NO PENALTY AND IF IT IS GREATER THAN 1% BUT LESS THAN 5%, THE PENALTY IS RS .500/-. IF IT IS GREATER THAN 5% BUT LESS THAN 10%, PENALTY IS RS.1000/- AND IF I T IS GREATER THAN 10%, THEN PENALTY IS RS.10,000/-. FROM THE ABOVE, THE ONLY IN FERENCE THAT CAN BE DRAWN IS THAT AS PER MCX, THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION UP TO 1% IS ABSOLUTELY NORMAL AND THEREFORE, THE BROKER IS PERMITTED TO MODIFY TH E CLIENT CODE UPTO 1% WITHOUT PAYING ANY PENALTY. EVEN CLIENT CODE MODIFI CATION UPTO 5% IS NOT CONSIDERED UNUSUALLY HIGH BECAUSE THAT IS ALSO PERM ITTED WITH THE TOKEN PENALTY OF RS.500/-. IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CIRCULAR ISSUED BY COMMODITY EXCHANGE, LET US EXAMINE WHETHER THE CLIENT CODE MO DIFICATION DONE BY THE BROKER I.E. KCBPL IS UNUSUALLY HIGH. AT PAGE NO.16 ON PARAGRAPH NO.4.3, THE CIT(A) HAS GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TRANSACTIONS ENTERED INTO BY THE ASSESSEE FOR THE PERIOD 2004-05 TO 2007-08 AND THE NUMBER OF CLI ENT CODE MODIFICATION AND PERCENTAGE THEREOF. WE HAVE ALSO REPRODUCED THE SAME AT PARAGRAPH NO.6 OF OUR ORDER. FROM THE SAID DETAILS, IT IS EVI DENT THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS DONE IN FOUR YEARS 36,161 TIMES. A S AN ABSOLUTE FIGURE, THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION MAY LOOK VERY HIGH, BUT IF WE LOOK IT AT IN TERMS OF TOTAL TRANSACTIONS, IT IS ONLY 0.94%. THE TOTAL NUM BER OF TRADE TRANSACTIONS IS 38.58 LACS AND THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS ONLY 36,161. THEREFORE, THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION IS LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOT AL TRADING TRANSACTIONS. AS PER CIRCULAR OF COMMODITY EXCHANGE, CLIENT CODE MOD IFICATION UPTO 1% IS QUITE NORMAL AND IS PERMITTED WITHOUT ANY PENALTY. THAT T HE ASSESSING OFFICER HAS NOT GIVEN ANY REASON ON WHAT BASIS HE PRESUMED THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATIONS TO BE UNUSUALLY HIGH. IN THE LIGHT OF THE MCX CIRCULAR, WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS Q UITE NOMINAL AND NOT UNUSUALLY HIGH AS ALLEGED BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER. 9. THE ASSESSING OFFICER HELD THE CLIENT CODE MODIF ICATIONS TO BE MALAFIDE WITH THE INTENTION TO TRANSFER THE PROFIT TO OTHER PERSO N BY MODIFYING THE CLIENT CODE SO AS TO AVOID THE PAYMENT OF TAX. FROM THE CIRCULA R OF THE COMMODITY EXCHANGE, IT IS EVIDENT THAT CLIENT CODE MODIFICATI ON IS PERMITTED ON THE SAME DAY. THEREFORE, WE ARE UNABLE TO FIND OUT ANY JUSTI FICATION FOR THE ALLEGATION OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER THAT THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICA TION WAS WITH THE MALAFIDE INTENTION. WHEN THE CLIENT CODE WAS MODIFIED ON THE SAME DAY, THERE CANNOT BE ANY MALAFIDE INTENTION. HAD CLIENT MODIFICATION DONE AFTER THE TRANSACTIONS PERIOD WHEN THE PRICE OF THE COMMODITY HAS ALREADY CHANGED, THEN PERHAPS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SOME BASIS TO PRESUME THAT CL IENT CODE MODIFICATION IS INTENTIONAL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICA TION IS DONE ON THE SAME DAY, IN OUR OPINION, THERE WAS NO BASIS OR JUSTIFIC ATION TO HOLD THE SAME TO BE MALAFIDE. 10. MOREOVER, THE LD. ASSESSING OFFICER HAS COMPUTE D THE NOTIONAL PROFIT/LOSS TILL THE TRANSACTIONS PERIOD AND NOT TILL THE PERIO D BY WHICH THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION TOOK PLACE. EVEN IF THE VIEW OF THE RE VENUE IS ACCEPTED THAT THE ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 20 CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION WAS WITH MALAFIDE INTENTIO N, THEN THE PROFIT OR LOSS ACCRUED TILL THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION CAN BE CO NSIDERED IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE BUT BY NO STRETCH OF IMAGINATION THE PROFI T/LOSS ARISING AFTER THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE H ANDS OF THE ASSESSEE. 11. THE LD. CIT(A) IN PARAGRAPH 4.13 OF HIS ORDER H AS ALSO RECORDED THE FINDINGS THAT 'ALL TRANSACTIONS AT THE COMMODITIES EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN DULY ACCOUNTED IN THE BOOKS OF ACCOUNT MAINTAINED BY THE CONCERNED PARTIES. SUCH PROFITS/LOSS HAS BEEN DULY ACCOUNTED WHENEVER THE T RANSACTIONS HAVE BEEN CLOSED. THUS, WHATEVER PROFITS HAVE BEEN GENERATED OR ACCOUNTING OF ACTUAL TRADE, HAVE BEEN OFFERED AND BROUGHT TO THE CHARGE OF TAX IN THE CASES OF CONCERNED ASSESSEES.' THESE FINDINGS OF FACT RECORD ED BY THE LD. CIT(A) HAS NOT BEEN CONTROVERTED BY THE REVENUE AT THE TIME OF HEARING BEFORE US. WHEN THE TRANSACTION HAS BEEN DULY ACCOUNTED FOR AND THE PROFIT/LOSS HAS ACCRUED TO THE CONCERNED PARTIES IN WHOSE NAMES TRANSACTION S HAVE BEEN CLOSED, THERE CANNOT BE ANY BASIS OR JUSTIFICATION FOR CONS IDERING THOSE PROFIT/LOSS IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE ON THE BASIS OF MERE PRESU MPTION OR SUSPICION. IT IS NOT THE CASE OF THE REVENUE THAT SUCH ALLEGED PROFI T HAS ACTUALLY BEEN RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSEE. IN VIEW OF THE TOTALITY O F THE ABOVE FACTS, WE DO NOT FIND ANY JUSTIFICATION TO INTERFERE WITH THE ORDER OF THE CIT(A) IN THIS REGARD AND THE SAME IS SUSTAINED; AND GROUND NOS. 1 AND 3 OF THE REVENUE'S APPEAL ARE REJECTED. THUS IN THE SAID CASE, IT WAS FOUND AND HELD THAT T HE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION UP TO 1% IS QUITE NORMAL AND PERMISSIB LE WITHOUT ANY PENALTY. THE CASE IN HAND, IT WAS ONLY 0.47%, THEREFORE, THE RE IS NO REASON TO DOUBT THE GENUINENESS OF THE CLIENT CODE MODIFICATION DON E BY THE BROKER IN THE TRANSACTIONS WHERE AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THE TRADE , THE BROKER HAS CARRIED OUT THE CORRECTION OF MISTAKES. A SIMILAR VIEW HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE TRIBUNAL IN THE SERIES OF DECISIONS AS REFERRED ABOVE. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND FOLLOWING THE DECISIO NS OF THE COORDINATE BENCHES OF THE TRIBUNALS, WE DO NOT FIND ANY ERROR OR ILLEGALITY IN THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF THE LD. CIT(A) QUA THIS ISSUE. HE NCE, BOTH THESE GROUNDS OF REVENUE'S APPEAL ARE DISMISSED. 11. I FIND THE DELHI BENCH OF THE TRIBUNAL IN THE C ASE OF RAIDANCE STOCK TRADERS PVT. LTD. (SUPRA) HAS OBSERVED AS UNDER :- 6.1 AFTER PERUSING THE AFORESAID REASONS RECORDED, I FI ND THAT 'INFORMATION' WAS RECEIVED ON 21.3.2016 FROM ASSTT. DIRECTOR OF INCOME TAX (IN VESTIGATION) UNIT- 1(3), AHMEDABAD WITHOUT CONDUCTING ANY ENQUIRY ON THE SAME BY ASSES SING OFFICER AND WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE FACT OF THE CASE OF ASSESSEE IN LIG HT OF THE ISSUE IS NOT A TANGIBLE AND RELEVANT MATERIAL TO FORM OPINION THAT INCOME HAS E SCAPED ASSESSMENT. IT IS NOTED THAT THE PROCEEDINGS U/S. 147 OF THE ACT CAN BE INITIATE D ONLY ON THE BASIS OF THE TANGIBLE MATERIAL AND NOT ON THE BASIS OF ASSUMPTIONS AND PR ESUMPTIONS. THE PRECONDITION U/S. 147 OF THE ACT IS 'REASON TO BELIEVE' AND, THE EXPR ESSION IS STRONGER THAN THE WORD 'SATISFIED'. THE BELIEF ENTERTAINED BY THE AO MUST NOT BE ARBITRARY OR IRRATIONAL, HOWEVER, IT MUST BE REASONABLE. IN OTHER WORDS, IT MUST BE BASED ON REASONS WHICH A RE RELEVANT AND MATERIAL. THE ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 21 EXISTENCE OF TANGIBLE AND RELEVANT MATERIAL IS A PR ECONDITION FOR ASSUMING JURISDICTION, AS HAS BEEN HELD IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. KELVINATOR OF INDIA LTD. REPORTED IN 320 ITR 561 (SC) AND ACIT VS. RAJESH JHAVERI STOCK BROKERS (P) LTD. REPORTED IN 291 ITR 500 (SC). HENCE, IN THIS CASE THE PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN INITI ATED ON THE BASIS OF NO MATERIAL MUCH LESS ANY TANGIBLE AND, RELEVANT MATERIAL AND A S SUCH REASONS RECORD DO NOT CONSTITUTE VALID REASON TO BELIEVE FOR INITIATING P ROCEEDINGS U/S 147 OF THE ACT. IT IS A CASE OF REASON TO SUSPECT' AND NOT 'REASON TO BELIE VE. 6.2 I FURTHER NOTE THAT THE ACTION OF THE AO HAS BEEN T AKEN MECHANICALLY ON THE BASIS OF ALLEGED REPORT OF INVESTIGATION WING. THE MERE RECO RDING/ FORMULATION OF REASONS ON THE BASIS OF REPRODUCTION OF INFORMATION FROM INVESTIGA TION WING AND, ISSUING NOTICE FOR INITIATION OF RE-ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS DOES NOT CO NSTITUTE APPLICATION OF MIND MUCH LESS INDEPENDENT APPLICATION OF MIND. HENCE, THE PR OCEEDINGS ARE WITHOUT JURISDICTION. IT IS SETTLED LAW THAT AO CANNOT ACT MECHANICALLY O N THE BASIS OF REPORT OF INVESTIGATION WING AND TO SHOW THAT THE AO HAS APPLIED HIS MIND, HE MUST DISTINCT ALL THOSE MATERIALS AND HE MUST ALSO SHOW THAT WHAT WAS MATER IAL ON RECORD. HENCE, INITIATION OF PROCEEDINGS IS ALSO BASED ON NON-APPLICATION OF MIN D MUCH LESS INDEPENDENT APPLICATION OF MIND. THIS VIEW IS FORTIFIED BY THE DECISION OF THE HON'BLE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF PR. CIT V. G&G PHARMA INDIA LTD . REPORTED AT 384 ITR 147 (DEL), WHEREIN IT HAS BEEN HELD AS UNDER:- 'TODAY WHEN THE CASE WAS CALLED OUT, MR. SAWHNEY PR ODUCED BEFORE THE COURT THE VERY SAME LETTER OF THE AO DATED 15TH SEPTEMBER 2010 WHI CH HAS BEEN REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRELY IN THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF THE ITAT. HE SUBM ITTED THAT THE AO WAS HIMSELF PRESENT IN THE COURT AND FURTHER EFFORTS WOULD BE M ADE TO LOCATE THE MATERIALS ON THE BASIS OF WHICH THE AO FORMED HIS OPINION REGARDING REOPENING OF THE ASSESSMENT. THE COURT WAS NOT PREPARED TO GRANT FURTHER TIME FOR TH IS PURPOSE SINCE IT WAS NOT CLEAR THAT THE MATERIALS WERE, IN FACT, AVAILABLE WITH THE DEP ARTMENT. 12. IN THE PRESENT CASE, AFTER SETTING OUT FOUR ENT RIES, STATED TO HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE ASSESSEE ON A SINGLE DATE I.E. 10TH FEBRUARY 20 03, FROM FOUR ENTITIES WHICH WERE TERMED AS ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES, WHICH INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY THE DIRECTORATE OF INVESTIGATION, THE AO STATED: 'I HAV E ALSO PERUSED VARIOUS MATERIALS AND REPORT FROM INVESTIGATION WING AND ON THAT BASIS IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE ASSESSEE COMPANY HAS INTRODUCED ITS OWN UNACCOUNTED MONEY IN ITS BANK ACCOUNT BY WAY OF ABOVE ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES.' THE ABOVE CONCLUSION IS UNHELPFUL IN UNDERSTANDING WHETHER THE AO APPLIED HIS MIND TO THE MATERIALS TH AT HE TALKS ABOUT PARTICULARLY SINCE HE DID NOT DESCRIBE WHAT THOSE MATERIALS WERE. ONCE THE DATE ON WHICH THE SO CALLED ACCOMMODATION ENTRIES WERE PROVIDED IS KNOWN, IT WO ULD NOT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE AO, IF HE HAD IN FACT UNDERTAKEN THE EXERCISE, TO M AKE A REFERENCE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH THOSE VERY ENTRIES WERE PROVIDED IN THE ACCOU NTS OF THE ASSESSEE, WHICH MUST HAVE BEEN TENDERED ALONG WITH THE RETURN, WHICH WAS FILED ON 14TH NOVEMBER 2004 ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 22 AND WAS PROCESSED UNDER SECTION 143(3) OF THE ACT. WITHOUT FORMING A PRIMA FACIE OPINION, ON THE BASIS OF SUCH MATERIAL, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE AO TO HAVE SIMPLY CONCLUDED: 'IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE ASSESSEE COMPANY HAS INTRODUCED ITS OWN UNACCOUNTED MONEY IN ITS BANK BY WAY OF ACCOMMODATI ON ENTRIES'. IN THE CONSIDERED VIEW OF THE COURT, IN LIGHT OF THE LAW EXPLAINED WI TH SUFFICIENT CLARITY BY THE SUPREME COURT IN THE DECISIONS DISCUSSED HEREINBEFORE, THE BASIC REQUIREMENT THAT THE AO MUST APPLY HIS MIND TO THE MATERIALS IN ORDER TO HAVE RE ASONS TO BELIEVE THAT THE INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE ESCAPED ASSESSMENT IS MISSING IN THE P RESENTCASE.' I FURTHER NOTE THAT IN THE REASONS RECORDED ASSESS EE HAS RELIED UPON THE INFORMATION BY THE INVESTIGATION WING, AHMEDABAD, THE AO HAS STATE D THAT HAVING PERUSED AND CONSIDERED THE INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM INVESTIGAT ION WING HE HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT INCOME OF THE ASSESSEE HAS ESCAPED WHICH HAS N OT BEEN CONFORMED TO THE ASSESSSEE COMPANY, IN THE COURSE OF ASSESSMENT PROC EEDINGS, THOUGH IN VIEW OF THE JUDGMENT OF HON'BLE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF SABH INFRASTRUCTURE LTD. VS. ACIT REPORTED IN 398 ITR 198 THE SAME WAS TO BE CONFRONT ED ALONGWITH REASONS WHEREIN IT HAS BEEN HELD AS UNDER: '(III) WHERE THE REASONS MAKE A REFERENCE TO ANOTHE R DOCUMENT, WHETHER AS A LETTER OR REPORT, SUCH DOCUMENT AND / OR RELEVANT PORTIONS OF SUCH REPORT SHOULD BE ENCLOSED ALONGWITH THE REASONS.' 6.3.1 HENCE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH MATERIAL, THE ALLEGATI ON AND ASSUMPTIONS ARE NOTHING BUT FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION AS THEY ARE BASE D ON ASSUMPTION AND PRESUMPTION, APART FROM BEING WITHOUT BASIS. 6.3 IT IS FURTHER NOTED THAT THE APPROVAL GRANTED BY T HE COMPETENT AUTHORITY IS A MECHANICAL APPROVAL AND ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN MECHA NICALLY BECAUSE ON PERUSING THE REASONS RECORDED, IT DEMONSTRATES THAT PR. CIT HAS WRITTEN 'YES, I AM SATISFIED.' WHICH ESTABLISHES THAT THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY HAS NOT RECORDED PROPER SATISFACTION / APPROVAL, BEFORE ISSUE OF NOTICE U/S. 148 OF THE I. T. ACT. THEREAFTER, THE AO HAS MECHANICALLY ISSUED NOTICE U/S. 148 OF THE ACT, ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION ALLEGEDLY RECEIVED BY HIM FROM THE (INV.)), UNIT 1(3), AHMEDA BAD. KEEPING IN VIEW OF THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PRESENT CASE AND THE CASE LAW APPLICABLE IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE, I AM OF THE CONSIDERED VIEW THAT THE REOP ENING IN THE CASE OF THE ASSESSEE FOR THE ASSTT. YEAR IN DISPUTE IS BAD IN LAW AND DESERV ES TO BE QUASHED. MY AFORESAID VIEW IS FORTIFIED BY THE FOLLOWING DECISIONS:- ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 23 (A) HON'BLE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF PR. CIT VS . M/S NC CABLES LTD. IN ITA NO. 335/2015 HAS HELD AS UNDER:- 11. SECTION 151 OF THE ACT CLEARLY STIPULATES THAT THE CIT(A), WHO IS THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE THE REASSESSMENT N OTICE, HAS TO APPLY HIS MIND AND FORM AN OPINION. THE MERE APPENDING OF THE EXPRESSION 'APPROVED' SAYS NOTHING. IT IS NOT AS IF THE CIT(A) HAS TO REC ORD ELABORATE REASONS FOR AGREEING WITH THE NOTING PUT UP. AT THE SAME TIME, SATISFACTION HAS TO BE RECORDED OF THE GIVEN CASE WHICH CAN BE REFLECTED I N THE BRIEFEST POSSIBLE MANNER. IN THE PRESENT CASE, THE EXERCISE APPEARS T O HAVE BEEN RITUALISTIC AND FORMAL RATHER THAN MEANINGFUL, WHICH IS THE RATIONA LE FOR THE SAFEGUARD OF AN APPROVAL BY A HIGHER RANKING OFFICER, FOR THESE REA SONS, THE COURT IS SATISFIED THAT THE FINDINGS BY THE ITAT CANNOT BE DISTURBED.' (B). HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH IN THE CA SE OF CIT VS. S. GOYANKA LIME & CHEMICALS LTD. REPORTED IN (2015) 56 TAXMANN .COM 390 (MP) HAS HELD AS UNDER:- '7. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE RIVAL CONTENTIONS AND WE FIND THAT WHILE ACCORDING SANCTION, THE JOINT COMMISSIONER, INCOME TAX HAS ON LY RECORDED SO 'YES, I AM SATISFIED'. IN THE CASE OF ARJUN SINGH VS. ASSTT. D IT (2000) 246 ITR 363 (MP), THE SAME QUESTION HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY A COORDINA TE BENCH OF THIS COURT AND THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES ARE LAID DOWN:- (A) HON'BLE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF PR. CIT VS. M/S NC CABLES LTD. IN IT A NO. 335/2015 HAS HELD AS UNDER 11. SECTION 151 OF THE ACT CLEARLY STIPULATES THAT THE CIT(A), WHO IS THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE THE REASSESSMENT N OTICE, HAS TO APPLY HIS MIND AND FORM AN OPINION. THE MERE APPENDING OF THE EXPRESSION 'APPROVED' SAYS NOTHING. IT IS NOT AS IF THE CIT(A) HAS TO REC ORD ELABORATE REASONS FOR AGREEING WITH THE NOTING PUT UP. AT THE SAME TIME, SATISFACTION HAS TO BE RECORDED OF THE GIVEN CASE WHICH CAN BE REFLECTED I N THE BRIEFEST POSSIBLE MANNER. IN THE PRESENT CASE, THE EXERCISE APPEARS T O HAVE BEEN RITUALISTIC AND FORMAL RATHER THAN MEANINGFUL, WHICH IS THE RATIONA LE FOR THE SAFEGUARD OF AN APPROVAL BY A HIGHER RANKING OFFICER, FOR THESE REA SONS, THE COURT IS SATISFIED THAT THE FINDINGS BY THE ITAT CANNOT BE DISTURBED.' ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 24 (B) . HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. S. GOYANKA LIME & CHEMICALS LTD. REPORTED IN (2015) 56 TAXMANN .COM 390 (MP) HAS HELD AS UNDER:- '7. WE HAVE CONSIDERED THE RIVAL CONTENTIONS AND WE FIND THAT WHILE ACCORDING SANCTION, THE JOINT COMMISSIONER, INCOME TAX HAS ON LY RECORDED SO 'YES, I AM SATISFIED'. IN THE CASE OF ARJUN SINGH VS. ASSTT. D IT (2000) 246 ITR 363 (MP), THE SAME QUESTION HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BY A COORDINA TE BENCH OF THIS COURT AND THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES ARE LAID DOWN:- 'THE COMMISSIONER ACTED, OF COURSE, MECHANICALLY IN ORDER TO DISCHARGE HIS STATUTORY OBLIGATION PROPERTY IN THE MATTER OF RECO RDING SANCTION AS HE MERELY WROTE ON THE FORMAT 'YES, I AM SATISFIED' WHICH IND ICATES AS IF HE WAS TO SIGN ONLY ON THE DOTTED LINE. EVEN OTHERWISE ALSO, THE E XERCISE IS SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS OF TIME WHICH ALSO GOES TO INDICATE THAT THE COMMISISONER DID NOT APPLY HIS MIND AT ALL WHIL E GRANTING SANCTION. THE SATISFACTION HAS TO BE WITH OBJECTIVITY ON OBJECTIV E MATERIAL 8. IF THE CASE IN HAND IS ANALYSED ON THE BASIS OF THE AFORESAID PRINCIPLE, THE MECHANICAL WAY OF RECORDING SATISFACTION BY THE JOI NT COMMISSIONER, WHICH ACCORDS SANCTION FOR ISSUING NOTICE UNDER SECTION 148, IS C LEARLY UNSUSTAINABLE AND WE FIND THAT ON SUCH CONSIDERATION BOTH THE APPELLATE AUTHORITIES HAVE INTERFERED INTO THE MATTER. IN DOING SO, NO ERROR HAS BEEN COM MITTED WARRANTING RECONSIDERATION.' (C.) HON'BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. S. GOYANKA LIME & CHEMICAL LTD. REPORTED IN (2015) 64 TAXMANN.COM 313 (SC) IN THE HEAD NOTES HAS HELD THAT 'SECTION 151, READ WITH SECTION 148 O F INCOME TAX ACT, 1961 - INCOME ESCAPING ASSESSMENT - SANCTION FOR ISSUE OF NOTICE (RECORDING OF SATISFACTION) - HIGH COURT BY IMPUGNED ORDER HELD T HAT WHERE JOINT COMMISSIONER RECORDED SATISFACTION IN MECHANICAL MA NNER AND WITHOUT APPLICATION OF MIND TO ACCORD SANCTION FOR ISSUING NOTICE UNDER SECTION 148, REOPENING OF ASSESSMENT WAS INVALID - WHETHER SPECI AL LEAVE PETITION FILED AGAINST IMPUGNED ORDER WAS TO BE DISMISSED - HELD, YES (IN FAVOUR OF THE ASSESSEE).' 6.4 I FURTHER NOTE THAT IT IS WELL SETTLED LAW THAT RE ASONS ALONE CAN BE LOOKED INTO AND, CANNOT BE SUPPORTED BY ANY SUPPLEMENTARY OR AD DITIONAL MATERIAL. 6.5 I FURTHER NOTE THAT ASSESSING OFFICER AT PAGE NO. 2 OF HIS ASSESSMENT ORDER ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 25 DATED 8.12.2017 U/S. 147/143(3) OF THE ACT STATED A S UNDER:- 'OBIECTION TO REOPENING ASSESSEE FILED OBJECTION VIDE LETTER DATED 24.11.20 17 TO THE NOTICE U/S. 148/REASON RECORDED. REMOVAL OF OBJECTION THE OBJECTION FILED BY THE ASSESSEE WERE REJECTED V IDE ORDER DATED 27.11.2017.' 6.6.1 AFTER PERUSING THE AFORESAID EXTRACTS FROM THE ASSE SSMENT ORDER, IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS RAISED OBJECTION TO INITIATIO N OF ASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS U/S. 147 OF THE ACT VIDE LETTER DATED 24.11.2017 AND THE AFO RESAID OBJECTIONS WERE DISPOSED OF BY THE AO VIDE ORDER DATED 27.11.2017, WHICH SHOWS THAT THE AO DID NOT ACCEPT THE OBJECTIONS SO FILED, HE SHALL NOT PROCEED FURTHER I N THE MATTER WITH IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF SERVICE OF ORDER DISPOSING OFF OBJECTION, HOWEVE R, HE HAS MADE THE ORDER OF ASSESSMENT U/S. 147/143(3) OF THE ACT ON 8.12.2017, WHICH IS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW AND NOT PERMISSIBLE. THIS VIEW IS FORTIFIED BY THE FOLLOWING DECISIONS :- I) ITA NO. 5780/D/2014 DATED 6.4.2018 META PLAST ENGI NEERING (P) LTD. V. ITO '9. FURTHER, IN VIEW OF THE DECISION OF THE HON'BLE BOMBAY HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF BHARAT JAYANT PATEL (SUPRA), LEARNED AO HELD SHO ULD HAVE ALLOWED FOUR WEEKS' TIME TO THE ASSESSEE TO SEEK THEIR LEGAL REM EDIES AFTER REJECTION OF THE OBJECTIONS OF THE ASSESSEE. IN VIEW OF THE FACT THA T THE AO HAS DISPOSED OF THE OBJECTIONS OF THE ASSESSEE ON AND PASSED THE ASSESS MENT ORDER ON IT IS CLEAR THAT NO SUCH TIME WAS GRANTED TO THE ASSESSEE. FURT HER, THE REASONS RECORDED AT THE TIME OF ASSUMPTION OF JURISDICTION BY THE AO TH AT THE ASSESSEE HAS RECEIVED AN ACCOMMODATION ENTRY OF RS.15 LACS WHEREAS AT THE TIME OF FRAMING OF ASSESSMENT, THE ASSESSEE WAS ASSESSED THE SHARE APP LICATION MONEY TO THE TUNE OF RS.2.15 CRORES. WE FIND REASON IN THE SUBMI SSION OF LEARNED AR THAT IN VIEW OF THE DECISION IN PCIT VS. RMG POLYVINYL (I) LTD.386 ITR 5 (BOM), SUCH AN ERROR INDICATES NON APPLICATION OF MIND BY THE LEAR NED AO.' II) 296 ITR 90 (BOM) ASIAN PAINTS LTD. VS. DCIT 3. THE LEARNED SENIOR COUNSEL FOR THE PETITIONER POINT ED OUT THAT IN SOME OF THE CASES AS SOON AS THE OBJECTIONS WERE REJECTE D BY THE CONCERNED ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 26 INCOME- TAX OFFICER, EVEN THE ASSESSMENT ORDER HAS BEEN PASSED WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME WHEREBY THE ASSESSEE IS LEFT WITHOUT ANY REMEDY TO CHALLENG E SUCH AN ORDER OF REJECTION. 4. HENCE WE MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IF THE ASSESSING OFFIC ER DOES NOT ACCEPT THE OBJECTIONS SO FILED, HE SHALL NOT PROCEED FURTH ER IN THE MATTER WITHIN A PERIOD OF FOUR WEEKS FROM THE DATE OF RECEIPT OF SE RVICE OF THE SAID ORDER ON OBJECTIONS, ON THE ASSESSEE. 5. ACCORDINGLY, RULE IS MADE ABSOLUTE. 6. WE ALSO DIRECT THAT THE INCOME TAX OFFICER CONCERN ED SHALL FOLLOW THE ABOVE PROCEDURE STRICTLY IN ALL SUCH CASES OF REOPE NING OF ASSESSMENT.' 6.7 AS REGARDS CASE LAW CITED BY THE ID. DR IS CONCERN ED, THE SAME IS AN EXPARTE ORDER AND ON DISTINGUISHED FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE. 6.8 IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE AFORESAID DISCUSSIONS AND RESPECTFULLY FOLLOWING THE PRECEDENTS, AS AFORESAID, I AM OF THE CONSIDERED VI EW THAT PROCEEDINGS INITIATED BY INVOKING THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 147 OF THE ACT BY THE ASS ESSING OFFICER AND UPHELDBY THE LD. CIT(A) ARE NONEST IN LAW AND WITHOUT JURISDICTION, HENCE,THE RE- ASSESSMENT IS QUASHED. SINCE I HAVE ALREADY QUASHED THE RE-ASSESSMENT, TH E OTHER GROUNDS HAVE BECOME ACADEMIC AND ARE THEREFORE NOT ADJUDICATED AND ACCORDINGLY, THE ASSESSEES APPEAL IS ALLOWED. 12. SINCE IN THE INSTANT CASE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN US/ 147 OF THE IT ACT AFTER COMPLETION OF THE ASSESSMENT U/S 153 A/ 143 (3) ON THE BASIS OF REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATION WING AND THE ASSESSING OFFICER HAS NO T CONDUCTED ANY ENQUIRY ON THE SAME, THEREFORE, RESPECTIVELY FOLLOWING THE DEC ISIONS OF THE TRIBUNAL CITED (SUPRA) I HOLD THAT REASSESSMENT PROCEEDINGS INITIA TED IN THE INSTANT CASE ARE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW. ACCORDINGLY THE SAME IS QU ASHED. SINCE THE ASSESSEE SUCCEEDS ON THE LEGAL GROUND, THE GROUNDS OF APPEAL CHALLENGING THE ADDITION ON MERIT BECOME ACADEMIC IN NATURE FOR WHICH THESE ARE NOT BEING ADJUDICATED. ITA NO.2497/DEL/2018 27 13. IN THE RESULT, THE APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE IS AL LOWED. ORDER PRONOUNCED ON 31.01.2019 SD/- (R.K PANDA) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER *NEHA* DATE:- 31.01.2019 COPY FORWARDED TO: 1. APPELLANT 2. RESPONDENT 3. CIT 4. CIT(APPEALS) 5. DR: ITAT ASSISTANT REGISTR AR ITAT NEW DELHI