NV DISTILLERIES AND BREWERIES PVT LTD,DELHI V. DCIT,CENTRAL CIRCLE-31, DELHI

ITA 3363/DEL/2025

AI Insights

The case involves multiple appeals by NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. and NV Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd. against the assessment orders for the years 2015-16 to 2018-19, which were based on approvals granted under section 153D of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The primary contention was that the approvals were granted in a mechanical manner without individual consideration for each assessment year, which is a requirement under the law. The ITAT examined the approval process and found that it was indeed mechanical and did not involve a proper application of mind by the approving authority, leading to the quashing of the assessment orders.

• Counselvise Citation: [2026] 140 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 833924 (ITAT-DELHI)
• Duration Of Justice: 8 month(s) 13 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 04-02-2026
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Allowed
• Bench Allotted: E
• Assessment Year: 2018-2019
• Appeal Filed On: 22-05-2025
• Other Referred Cases: Usha Satish Salvi Vs. ACIT, Shiv Kumar Nayyar, PCIT Sapna Gupta, Asst. CIT v. Serajuddin and Co.
• Laws Referred To: Income Tax Act, 1961
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: AMISH S GUPTA; LD. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX A; DELHI LD
• Assessee Lawyers: NIRBHAY MEHTA; ROHIT SHARMA
• Keywords: Question of law; Search and seizure; Assessment record; Validity of assessment; Procedural lapse
• Section: 143(3); 153A

Judgement Text

"ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 1 IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DELHI BENCH ‘E’, NEW DELHI BEFORE SHRI SATBEER SINGH GODARA, JUDICIAL MEMBER & SHRI MANISH AGARWAL, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER ITA No.3361 & 3362/Del/2025 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17) N V Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. 10th Floor, Vandana Building, 11, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi-110001 PAN-AABCN4592Q Vs DCIT Central Circle-31 New Delhi (Appellant) (Respondent) ITA No.4375 & 4376/Del/2025 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 2015-16 & 2016-17) ACIT Central Circle-31 New Delhi Vs N V Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. 10th Floor, Vandana Building, 11, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi-110001 PAN-AABCN4592Q (Appellant) (Respondent) ITA No.370 & 3363/Del/2025 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 2017-18 & 2018-19) N V Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd. 10th Floor, Vandana Building, 11, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi-110001 PAN-AAACN3240N Vs DCIT Central Circle-31 New Delhi (Appellant) (Respondent) ITA No.629/Del/2025 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 2017-18) DCIT Central Circle-31 New Delhi Vs N V Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd., 10th Floor, Vandana Building, 11, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi-110001 PAN-AAACN3240N (Appellant) (Respondent) Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 2 ITA No.4511/Del/2025 (ASSESSMENT YEAR 2018-19) ACIT Central Circle-31 New Delhi Vs N V Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd., 10th Floor, Vandana Building, 11, Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi-110001 PAN-AAACN3240N (Appellant) (Respondent) Assessee by Shri Nirbhay Mehta, Adv. & Shri Rohit Sharma, CA Department by Ms. Amish S Gupta, CIT DR Date of Hearing 29.01.2026 Date of Pronouncement 04.02.2026 ORDER PER MANISH AGARWAL, AM: All captioned cross-appeals are filed by the assessee and revenue by Ld. Commissioner of Income Tax (A)-30, Delhi [\"Ld. CIT(A)\") passed u/s 250 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 [\"the Act\"] for Asst. Years 2015-16 & 2016-17 in the case of NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd and for AY 2017-18 & AY 2018-19 in the case of NV Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd arising out of the separate orders passed u/s 153A of the Act. 2. At the time of hearing, it was stated that the issues involved in all these cross-appeals are common, interlinked and arising from the search action on the assessee and other persons. Hence, all these cases have been heard together and adjudicated by this common order. Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 3 3. First we take the appeal of the assessee in ITA No. 3361/Del/2025 for AY 2015-16 in the case of NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. Vs. DCIT. ITA No. 3361/Del/2025 [AY 2015-16] NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. Vs. DCIT.[Assessee’s case] 4. Before us, Ld. AR for the assessee submitted that in all the captioned cases, approval u/s 153D of the Act was granted by ld. Addl. CIT, Central Range-8, New Delhi letter dated 31.12.2019 which is mechanical approval. Ld. AR further submits that ld. Addl. CIT granted common approval for various Assessment Years from 2015-16 to 2018-19 in terms of letter bearing No. Addl. CIT/(CR- 8/2019-20/155 dated 31.12.2019. He submits that from the perusal of the same it could be seen that approval granted by the Id. Adl. CIT was mechanical approval and separate approval for each Assessment Year was not given rather approval was given by a single order for various assessment years. The letter seeking approval by the AO and the approval so granted by ld. Addl. CIT are reproduced as under: Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 4 Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 5 Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 6 Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 7 4. Ld. AR further submits that from the perusal of the approval in the case of assessee, it could be seen that Addl. CIT while granting the approval has not stated whether he has gone through the seized material, assessment records including the replies filed by the assessee with reference to the additions/ disallowance proposed in the drafts assessment orders for various assessment years. As per ld. AR Addl. CIT in the approval letter has referred the action taken by AO of making enquiries and considering all the material and providing sufficient opportunity to the assessee. Nowhere in the approval letter ld. Adl. CIT has made reference of any discussions the AO and the Adl. CIT nor has referred the seized material before granting the approval. As per ld. AR, the Addl. CIT has not verified the material, nor any reference was made in the approval letter about the material supplied to him by the AO alongwith the draft assessment orders for his consideration and thus it is a mechanical approval given. 5. Ld. AR finally submits that common approval is given for various Assessment Years which is contrary to the provisions of section 153D of the Act and therefore, he prayed that there was no proper application of mind before granting the approval by ld. Addl. CIT and thus assessment order so passed deserved to be held as null and void. 6. On the other hand, Ld. CIT DR for the Revenue supports the order of AO and submits that approval was though was granted on Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 8 the same day but is not a mechanical approval. As per CBDT Circular dated 22.12.2006, the Range head i.e. the JCIT/ Addl. CIT is fully aware of the assessment proceedings and actively discussed with the AO from time to time with reference to the issues relating to different assessment years and the nature of contents of the seized material. Ld. CIT DR thus submits that by any stretch of imagination, it cannot be inferred that Range Head was not in a position to apply his mind independently in a judicious manner while granting approval under section 153D of the Act. The CBDT guidelines explicitly emphasize the close coordination required in search and seizure assessments. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that, in accordance with prevailing administrative practices and guidelines, the approving authority has a comprehensive understanding of the issues involved in a particular case well in advance, prior to the case being submitted to him for approval under section 153D of the Act. It is thus prayed by Id. CIT DR that the contentions of the assessee on the issue of approval u/s 153D of the Act may please be rejected and the order of the AO may please be upheld. Reliance is placed on the judgement of Co-ordinate Mumbai Bench of Tribunal in the case of Usha Satish Salvi Vs. ACIT in ITA No. 4237 to 4239/Mum/2023 order dated 23.01.2025 wherein the issue of validity of assessment order passed u/s 143(3) r.w.s.153A of the Act in light of provisions of section 153D of the ACT was decided against the assessee. 7. Heard the contentions of both the parties and perused the material available on record. In the instant case, from the perusal of Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 9 common approval letter as reproduced above, for all the four assessment years, it is incumbent upon the Addl. CIT while granting the approval, to examine all the material including the assessment records, full appraisal report and seized material pertaining to each Assessment Year with reference to the addition proposed by the AO for each individual assessment year for which approval is sought. Further approval is to be granted for each assessment year separately. 8. The Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court in the case of Shiv Kumar Nayyar in ITA No.285/2024 [TS-343-HC-2024-Delhi] has held that the approval u/s 153D of the Act has to be granted for each Assessment year independently. The relevant observations of the judgement of Hon'ble High Court are as under:- “11. A plain reading of the aforesaid provision evinces an uncontrived position of law that the approval under Section 153D of the Act has to be granted for each assessment year referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 153A of the Act. It is beneficial to refer to the decision of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad in the case of PCIT Sapna Gupta (2022 SCC OnLine All 1294) which captures with precision the scope of the concerned provision and more significantly, the import of the phrase \"each assessment year\" used in the language of Section 153D of the Act. The relevant paragraphs of the said decision are reproduced as under:- \"13. It was held therein that if an approval has been granted by the Approving Authority in a mechanical manner without application of mind then the very purpose of obtaining approval under Section 153D of the Act and mandate of the enactment by the legislature will be defeated. For granting approval under Section 153D of the Act, the Approving Authority shall have to apply independent mind to the material on record for each assessment year in respect of \"each assessee separately. The words each assessment year used in Section 153D and 153A have been considered to hold that effective and proper meaning has to be given so that underlying legislative intent as per scheme of assessment of Section 153A to 153D is fulfilled. It was held that the \"approval as contemplated under 153D of the Act, requires the approving authority, Le. Joint Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 10 Commissioner to verify the issues raised by the Assessing Officer in the draft assessment order and apply his mind to ascertain as to whether the required procedure has been followed by the Assessing Officer or not in framing the assessment. The approval, thus, cannot be a mere formality and, in any case, cannot be a mechanical exercise of power. **** 19. The careful and conjoint reading of Section 153A(1) and Section 153D leave no room for doubt that approval with respect to each assessment year is to be obtained by the Assessing Officer on the draft assessment order before passing the assessment order under Section 153A.” [Emphasis supplied] 12. It is observed that the Court in the case of Sapna Gupta (supra) refused to interdict the order of the ITAT, which had held that the approval under Section 153D of the Act therein was granted without any independent application of mind. The Court took a view that the approving authority had wielded the power to accord approval mechanically, inasmuch as, it was humanly impossible for the said authority to have perused and appraised the records of 85 cases in a single day. It was explicitly held that the authority granting approval has to apply its mind for \"each assessment year for \"each assessee\" separately. 13. Reliance can also be placed upon the decision of the Orissa High Court in the case of Asst. CIT v. Serajuddin and Co. (2023 SCC OnLine Ori 992) to understand the exposition of law on the issue at hand. Paragraph no. 22 of the said decision reads as under- “22. As rightly pointed out by learned counsel for the assessee there is not even a token mention of the draft orders having been perused by the Additional Commissioner of Income-tax. The letter simply grants an approval In other words, even the bare minimum requirement of the approving authority having to indicate what the thought process involved was is missing in the aforementioned approval order. While elaborate reasons need not be given, there has to be some indication that the approving authority has examined the draft orders and finds that it meets the requirement of the law. As explained in the above cases, the mere repeating of the words of the statute, or mere \"rubber stamping of the letter seeking sanction by using similar words like \"seen\" or \"approved will not satisfy the requirement of the law. This is where the Technical Manual of Office Procedure becomes important. Although, it was in the context of section 158BG of the Act, it would equally apply to section 153D of the Act. There are three or four requirements that are mandated therein, (i) the Assessing Officer should submit the draft assessment order \"well in time\". Here it was submitted just two days prior to the deadline thereby putting the approving authority under great pressure and not giving him sufficient time to apply his mind, (ii) the final approval Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 11 must be in writing, (ii) the fact that approval has been obtained, should be mentioned in the body of the assessment order.” [Emphasis supplied] 14. During the course of arguments, learned counsel for the assessee apprised this Court that the Special Leave Petition preferred by the Revenue against the decision in the case of Serajuddin (supra), came to be dismissed by the Supreme Court vide order dated 28.11.2023 in SLP (C) Diary no. 44989/2023 15. A similar view was taken by this Court in the case of Anuj Bansal (supra). whereby, it was reiterated that the exercise of powers under Section 153D cannot be done mechanically. Thus, the salient aspect which emerges from the abovementioned decisions is that grant of approval under Section 153D of the Act cannot be merely a ritualistic formality or rubber stamping by the authority, rather it must reflect an appropriate application of mind. 16. In the present case, the ITAT, while specifically noting that the approval was granted on the same day when the draft assessment orders were sent, has observed as under- “10. We have gone through the approval granted by the Id. Addl. CIT on 30.12.2018 u/s 153D of the Act which is enclosed at page 36 of the paper book of the assessee. The said letter clearly states that a letter dated 30.12.2018 was filed by the ld. AO before the Id. Addl. CIT seeking approval of draft assessment order u/s 153D of the Act. The Id. Addl. CIT has accorded approval for the said draft assessment orders on the very same day i.e., on 30.12.2018 for seven assessment years in the case of the assessee and for seven assessment years in the case of Smt. Neetu Nayyar. It is also pertinent in this regard to refer to pages 68 and 69 of the paper book which contains information obtained by Smt Neetu Nayyar from Central Public Information Officer who is none other than the ld. Addl. Commissioner of Income-tax, Central Range-S, New Delhi, under Right to Information Act, wherein, it reveals that the Id. Addl. CIT had granted approval for 43 cases on 30.12.2018 itself. This fact is not in dispute before us Of these 43 cases, as evident from page 36 of the paper book which contains the approval u/s 153D, 14 cases pertained to the assessee herein and Smt. Neetu Nayyar. The remaining cases may belong to some other assessees, which information is not available before us. In any event, whether it is humanly possible for an approving authority like Id Addl CIT to grant judicious approval u/s 153D of the Act for 43 cases on a single day is the subject matter of dispute before us. Further, section 153D provides that approval has to be granted for each of the assessment year whereas, in the instant case, the id Addl. CIT has granted a single approval for all assessment years put together\" Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 12 17. Notably, the order of approval dated 30.12.2020 which was produced before us by the learned counsel for the assessee clearly signifies that a single approval has been granted for AYs 2011-12 to 2017-18 in the case of the assessee. The said order also fails to make any mention of the fact that the draft assessment orders were perused at all, much less perusal of the same with an independent application of mind. Also, we cannot lose sight of the fact that in the instant case, the concerned authority has granted approval for 43 cases in a single day which is evident from the findings of the ITAT, succinctly encapsulated in the order extracted above.\" 9. Similarly, the Hon'ble Orissa High Court in the case of ACIT vs Serajuddin & Co. 454 ITR 312 (Orissa) had an occasion to examine substantial question of law on the propriety of approval granted u/s 153D of the Act. The Hon'ble Orissa High Court made wide ranging observations towards the manner and legality of approval u/s 153D of the Act. The Hon'ble High Court interalia observed that approval u/s 153D of the Act being mandatory, while elaborate reasons need not be given, there has to be some indication that approving authority has examined draft orders and finds that it meets the requirement of law. The approving authority is expected to indicate his thought process while granting approval, held that it is not correct on the part of the Revenue to contend that the approval itself is not justifiable. Where the Court finds that the approval is granted mechanically, it would vitiate the assessment order itself. The Hon'ble High Court inter-alia observed that there is not even a token mention that draft order has been perused by the Ld. Addl. CIT. The approval letter simply grants approval. In other words, even the bare minimum requirement of approving authority having to indicate what thought process involved leading to the aforementioned approval has not been provided. As explained, the mere repeating of words of the Statue or mere rubber stamping of Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 13 the communication seeking sanction by using similar words like 'approval' will not, by itself, meet the requirement of law. The Hon'ble Court made reference to manual issued by the CBDT in the context of erstwhile section 158BG of the Act and observed that such manual serves as a guideline to the AOs. Since it was issued by CBDT, the powers of issuing such guidelines can be traced to section 119 of the Act. The Hon'ble High Court also held that non- compliance of requirement of section 153D of the Act is not a mere procedural irregularity and lapse committed by Revenue may vitiate the assessment order. The SLP filed against the aforesaid judgement in the case of ACIT vs Serajuddin & Co. was dismissed as reported in (2024) 163 taxmann.com 118 (SC). 10. In so far as the order of the Co-ordinate Bench of the Tribunal (Mumbai Bench) relied by the Ld. Department's Representative in the case of Usha Satish Salvi (supra), in the said case, certain modifications were suggested to the A.O. in the draft assessment order, which have been carried out by the A.O. while passing the Assessment Order and the coordinate Bench observed that the said fact shows that approving authority approved the draft order not in mechanical manner but after due application of mind. However, in the present case, no such application of mind is forthcoming. Further in the case of Usha Satish Salvi (supra), the Ld. Department's Representative has filed affidavit of the then Assessing Officer and the approving authority who have denied the allegations raised by the Assessee. After relying on the same so called unchallenged depositions made in the Affidavit of the then Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 14 A.O. and the approving authority, (which has been filed much after the granting of the approval and at the stage of second Appeal before the Tribunal), upheld the order of the Id. CIT(A). Therefore, the present case in hand is factually distinguishable. In view of the judgement of the Hon'ble Delhi High Court in the case of Shiv Kumar Nayyar (supra), which is having binding precedent, and the order/ratio of the Tribunal in the case of Usha Satish Salvi (supra) has no effect of binding precedent. 11. Such mechanical approval cannot be sustainable in law in the light of judicial dicta available. The approval order is totally silent on the issues involved and has granted omnibus approval without any thoughtful process being discernible. A single approval u/s 153D has been accorded in respect of four assessment years and there is no other material to show involvement of the superior authority in the course of assessment proceedings. Thus, applying the ratio of judgements delivered as noted above, the assessment order based on ritualistic approval stands vitiated and thus, quashed by allowing Ground of appeal No. 5 of the Assessee. 12. Since we have already allowed the Ground of appeal No. 5 taken by the assessee thus, other grounds of appeal are not adjudicated. 13. In the result, the appeal of the assessee is allowed. Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 15 ITA Nos. 3362, 370 & 3363/Del/2025 [Assessment Years 2016-17 to 2018-2019] [Assessee’s appeals] 14. Since in all the other appeals of the assessee in ITA Nos. 3362, 370 & 3363/Del/2025 for Assessment Years 2016-17 to 2018- 2019 respectively, the assessee has taken one of the ground of appeals, challenging the validity of assessment order passed u/s 143(3) r.w.s.153A of the Act in light of provisions of section 153D of the Act which issue has been decided in favour of the assessee in ITA No. 3361/Del/2025 for AY 2015-16 in the case of NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd, hereinabove. Since the facts are identical and the approval was granted by Addl. CIT for all these assessment years also by a common order in terms of approval letter No. Addl. CIT/(CR-8/2019-20/155 in the case of NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. and Addl. CIT/(CR-8/153D/2019-20/156 in the case of NV Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd. for Asst. Year 2015-16 to 2018-19 respectively. Thus, by following the aforesaid observations, ground of appeal taken with respect to the validity of approval in all the captioned appeals of the assessee are allowed. 15. Since we have allowed legal ground of appeal of the assessee with regard to the validity of assessment on account of approval u/s 153D thus, other grounds of appeal in all the captioned appeals of the assessee are not adjudicated. 16. In the result, all captioned appeals of the assessee are allowed. Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 16 ITA Nos. 4375, 4376, 629 & 4511/Del/2025 [Assessment Years 2015-16 to 2018-2019] [Revenue’s appeals] 17. As we have already quashed the assessment order passed in the case of M/s NV Distilleries Pvt. Ltd for AY 2015-16 in ITA Nos. 3361/Del/2025 and AY 2016-17 in ITA No. 3362/Del/2025 and also in the case of NV Distilleries & Breweries Pvt. Ltd for AY 2017- 18 in ITA Nos. 370/Del/2025 and AY 2018-19 in ITA No. 3363/Del/2025, therefore the cross-appeals filed by the Revenue for all these assessment years become infructuous and accordingly, the same are hereby, dismissed. 18. In the combined result, all appeals of the assessee in ITA Nos. 3361, 3362, 370 & 3363/Del/2025 [Assessment Years 2015-16 to 2018-2019] are allowed and appeals of the revenue in ITA Nos. 4375, 4376, 629 & 4511/Del/2025 [Assessment Years 2015-16 to 2018-19] respectively, are dismissed. Order pronounced in the open Court on 04.02.2026. Sd/- Sd/- (SATBEER SINGH GODARA) (MANISH AGARWAL) Judicial Member Accountant Member Dated: 04.02.2026 *Amit Kumar, Sr. PS* Printed from counselvise.com ITA Nos.3361/Del/2025 & Others Page | 17 Copy forwarded to: 1. Appellant 2. Respondent 3. CIT 4. CIT(Appeals) 5. DR: ITAT 6. Guard File ASSISTANT REGISTRAR ITAT, NEW DELHI Printed from counselvise.com "