SHRI BASTIMAL K JAIN, MUMBAI V. ITO 19(1)(2), MUMBAI

ITA 4608/MUM/2018

• Counselvise Citation: [2019] 116 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 0374 (ITAT-MUMBAI)
• Duration Of Justice: 1 year(s) 1 month(s) 11 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 06-09-2019
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Partly Allowed
• Bench Allotted: SMC
• Assessment Year: 2009-2010
• Appeal Filed On: 26-07-2018
• Result in Favour of: Partly Allowed
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: CHAITANYA ANJARIA
• Keywords: Bogus purchase
• Section: 201; 12

Judgement Text

T HE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL SMC BENCH, MUMBAI BEFORE SHRI SHAMIM YAHYA ( A M) I.T.A. NO. 4608 /MUM/ 201 8 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 20 09 - 10 ) SHRI BASTIMAL K. JAIN 7, MARKER BUILDING 1 ST FLOOR, R.NO. 12 - A 1 ST PANJARAPOLE LANE CP TANK, MUMBAI - 400 004. PAN : AABPJ1817F V S . ITO WARD 19(1)(2) MATRU MANDIR NANA CHOWK MUMBAI - 400 007. ( APPELLANT ) ( RESPONDENT ) ASSESSEE BY NONE DEPARTMENT BY SHRI CHAITANYA ANJARIA DATE OF HEARING 10 .7 . 201 9 DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT 0 6.9 . 201 9 O R D E R THIS IS AN APPEAL BY THE ASSESSEE WHEREIN THE ASSESSEE IS AGGRIEVED THAT THE LEARNED CIT - A HAS ERRED IN SUSTAINING 12.5% DISALLOWANCE ON ACCOUNT OF BOGUS PURCHASES, VIDE ORDER DATED 1.3.2018 FOR A.Y. 2009 - 10. 2. BRIEF FACTS OF THE CASE ARE THAT THE ASSESSEE IS ENGAGED IN BUSINESS OF FERROUS AND NON - FERROUS METAL . INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE SALES TAX DEPARTMENT THAT THE ASSESSEE HAS MADE BOGUS PURCHASES. THE ASSESSMENT WAS ACCORDINGLY REOPENED. 3. THE ASSESSING OFFICER IN THIS CASE HAS MADE 12.5% ADDITIO N ON ACCOUNT OF BOGUS PURCHASES AMOUNTING TO RS. 7,70,646 / - . UPON ASSESSEE APPEAL LEARNED CIT(A) CONFIRMED THE SAME. 4. AGAINST ABOVE ORDER ASSESSEE IS IN APPEAL BEFORE THE ITAT. I HAVE HEARD LEARNED DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE A ND PERUSED THE RECORDS. NO NE APPEARED ON BEHALF OF THE ASSESSEE DESPITE NOTICE. SHRI BASTIMAL K. JAIN 2 5. U PON CAREFUL CONSIDERATION I FIND THAT ASSESSEE HAS PROVIDED THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE FOR THE PURCHASE. ADVERSE INFERENCE HAS BEEN DRAWN DUE TO THE INABILITY OF THE ASSESSEE TO PRODUCE THE SUPPLIE RS. I FIND THAT IN THIS CASE THE SALES HAVE NOT BEEN DOUBTED. IT IS SETTLED LAW THAT WHEN SALES ARE NOT DOUBTED, HUNDRED PERCENT DISALLOWANCE FOR BOGUS PURCHASE CANNOT BE DONE. THE RATIONALE BEING NO SALES IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT ACTUAL PURCHASES. THIS PROPOSI TION IS SUPPORTED FROM HONOURABLE JURISDICTIONAL HIGH COURT DECISION IN THE CASE OF NIKUNJ EXIMP ENTERPRISES (IN WRIT PETITION NO 2860, ORDER DT. 18.6.2014). IN THIS CASE THE HONOURABLE HIGH COURT HAS UPHELD HUNDRED PERCENT ALLOWANCE FOR THE PURCHASES SAID TO BE BOGUS WHEN SALES ARE NOT DOUBTED. HOWEVER IN THAT CASE ALL THE SUPPLIES WERE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCY. 6. IN THE PRESENT CASE THE FACTS OF THE CASE INDICATE THAT ASSESSEE HAS MADE PURCHASE FROM THE GREY MARKET. MAKING PURCHASES THROUGH THE GREY MARKET GIVES THE ASSESSEE SAVINGS ON ACCOUNT OF NON - PAYMENT OF TAX AND OTHERS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EXCHEQUER. IN SUCH A SITUATION IN MY CONSIDERED OPINION ON THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE THE 12.5% DISALLOWANCE OUT OF THE BOGUS PURCHASES MEETS THE EN D OF JUSTICE. HOWEVER, IN THIS REGARD ASSESSEE HAS PRAYED THAT WHEN ONLY THE PROFIT S EARNED BY THE ASSESSEE ON THESE BOGUS PURCHASE TRANSACTION IS TO BE TAXED THE GROSS PROFIT ALREADY SHOWN BY THE ASSESSEE @ 5.66% AND OFFERED TO TAX SHOULD BE REDUCED FRO M THE STANDARD 12.5% BEING DIRECTED TO BE DISALLOWED ON ACCOUNT OF BOGUS PURCHASES. 7. UPON CAREFUL CONSIDERATION I FIND CONSIDERABLE COGENCY IN THE SUBMISSION IN THE GROUND TAKEN BY THE ASSESSEE, AS OTHERWISE IT WILL BE DOUBLE JEOPARDY TO THE ASSESSEE. ACCORDINGLY I MODIFY THE ORDER OF LEARNED CIT - A AND DIRECT THAT THE DISALLOWANCE IN THIS CASE BE RESTRICTED TO 12.5 % OF THE BOGUS PURCHASES AS REDUCED BY THE GROSS PROFIT RATE ALREADY DECLARED BY THE ASSESSEE ON THESE TRANSACTIONS. SHRI BASTIMAL K. JAIN 3 8. IN THE RES ULT THIS APPEAL FILED BY THE ASSESSEE STANDS PARTLY ALLOWED. ORDER HAS BE EN PRONOUNCED IN THE COURT ON 6.9 . 201 9 . SD/ - (SH A MIM YAHYA ) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER MUMBAI ; DATED : 6 / 9 / 20 1 9 COPY OF THE ORDER FORWARDED TO : 1. THE APPELLANT 2. THE RESPONDENT 3. THE CIT(A) 4. CIT 5. DR, ITAT, MUMBAI 6. GUARD FILE. BY ORDER, //TRUE COPY// ( ASSISTANT REGISTRAR ) PS ITAT, MUMBAI