SHRI PREM CHAWLA vs. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX 1

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ITA/15/2016HC Madhya PradeshMPHC01004701201608 July 20164 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The Tribunal held that the appeal did not involve any substantial question of law and was without merit, leading to its dismissal. Regarding the issues raised, the Tribunal, in agreement with the lower authorities, found that M/s. D. K. Traders was not a separate concern but belonged to the assessee. This conclusion was based on the cumulative factors and surrounding circumstances, including the testimony of Shri Ram Prakash Dwivedi, an accountant for the assessee, who confirmed that the transactions in BF-30 belonged to the assessee. The Tribunal noted that the assessee failed to produce sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption under the Income Tax Act. The Tribunal implicitly rejected the assessee's arguments regarding the seizure location and the ownership of D. K. Traders. The Tribunal's reasoning was that the findings of the lower authorities were findings of fact, and therefore, no substantial question of law arose. The Tribunal confirmed the order of the CIT(A) in sustaining the addition. The specific issues regarding cross-examination and the quantum of addition (entire sale proceeds vs. net profit) were not expressly decided by the Tribunal in its final pronouncement, as the appeal was dismissed on the ground of no substantial question of law.

What were the facts?

The assessee, Shri Prem Chawla, is challenging an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) dated August 21, 2015, and an order of the Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT) dated October 11, 2012, for the assessment year 2004-2005. The assessee was engaged in manufacturing and selling industrial solvents and thinners. Search and seizure operations were conducted at his residential and business premises. During the search, registers BF-29, BF-30, and BF-31 were seized. Sales were made in the name of M/s. D. K. Traders, which were not recorded in the assessee's regular books. Funds from these sales were deposited into bank accounts operated by the assessee in the name of D. K. Traders, totaling Rs. 1,25,74,805/- between financial years 1999-00 and 2005-06. The authorities concluded that D. K. Traders was a benami concern of the assessee, and the income was added to the assessee's income. Appeals to the CIT and ITAT were dismissed.

What were the issues?

The Tribunal had to decide the following substantial questions of law: 1. Whether the burden of proving benami is on the party claiming it, and thus the Department should have proved M/s. D. K. Traders is a benami concern of the appellant? 2. Whether the ITAT was justified in holding M/s. D. K. Traders as a benami concern when the impounded document BF-30 was not found from the appellant's premises? 3. Whether the ITAT was justified in holding M/s. D. K. Traders as a benami concern, especially when the bank, neighbors, accountant, and appellant accepted Shri Shubhashish Paul as the owner, and no positive material was brought on record to establish benami, making the ITAT's finding perverse? 4. Whether the lower authorities were justified in confirming the addition without providing a copy of the statement of Mr. S. D. Mishra and without affording cross-examination? 5. Whether the addition should be made for the entire sale proceeds or only the net profit could be added to the appellant's income? Assessee's Contentions: The assessee argued that the registers were seized from his mother's premises, who had a separate business, thus the inference against the appellant cannot be drawn. He also contended that the search did not take place at his residence. The assessee relied on the fact that the bank, neighbors, and accountant accepted Shri Shubhashish Paul as the owner of D. K. Traders and that no positive material was brought on record to establish benami. The assessee also raised an issue regarding the denial of cross-examination of Mr. S. D. Mishra. Revenue's Contentions: The revenue contended that M/s. D. K. Traders was a benami concern of the assessee and that the transactions recorded in BF-30 belonged to the assessee. The revenue argued that the assessee failed to produce sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption under various clauses of the Income Tax Act.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 260-A,Section 132(4)(A),Section 292,Section 132,Section 133A

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

ITA-15-2016 (SHRI PREM CHAWLA Vs COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX 1) 08-07-2016 Shri A. P. Shrivastava, learned counsel for the appellant. Shri Sapan Usrethe, learned counsel for the respondent. Heard on the question of admission. The appellant has filed this appeal under Section 260-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 in respect of year 2004-2005 against the order dated 21.08.2015 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and also against the order of Commissioner of Income Tax dated 11.10.2012. Appellant had filed near about seven appeals and all the appeals were dismissed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. Appellant proposed admission of the appeal on the following substantial questions of law : 1. Whether the burden on proving benami is on the person making such claim, and therefore, the Department should have proved that M/s. D. K. Traders is a benami concern of the appellant ? 2. Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, whether the id ITAT was not justified in holding that M/s. D. K. Traders is a benami concern of the appellant; when the impounded document BF-30 was not found from the premises of the appellant ? 3. Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, whether the id ITAT was not justified in holding that M/s. D. K. Traders is a benami concern of the appellant; moreso whether bank, neighbors, accountant, and appellant had accepted the owner of the concern was Shri Shubhashish Paul; and no positive material was brough on record to establish benami; therefore the findings of id ITAT is perverse ? 4. Whether the id lower authorities were justified in confirming the additional, without giving copy of statement recorded of Mr. S. D. Mishra and without affording cross-examination of same? 5. Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, whether addition shall be made for the entire sale proceeds or only net profit could be added to the income of the appellant ? Appellant was engaged in the business of manufacturing and sale of industrial solvents and thinners in the brand name of Änand". He was proprietor of M/s. Anand Industries which was manufacturing and selling wall putty, adhesive and industrial paints. Search and seizure operations u/s 132 as well as survey operations u/s 133A of Income Tax Act were conducted at the residential and business premises of the appellant. A notice was issued to the appellant. He submitted his reply. During search certain documents i. e. three register BF-29, BF-30 & BF-31 were seized. The sales were made by the assessee in the name of M/s D. K. Traders, which were not recorded in the regular books of accounts of the appellant. The money of sales was deposited in the bank accounts operated by the appellant in the name of D. K. Traders. The accounts were opened with Dena Bank and Pubnjab National Bank. The total amount deposited during financial years 1999-00 to 2005-06 was of Rs.1,25,74,805/-. The authority found that the appellant fraudulently opened the accounts in the name of D. K. Traders and there was no document showing that D. K. Traders was separate identity and held that deposits were from the income of the appellant of the assessment year 2001 to 2006-07 and income was added in the income of the appellant and tax liability was fixed. Against the aforesaid order appellant submitted an appeal before the Commissioner that was dismissed and thereafter an appeal was filed before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, that has also been dismissed. All the authorities have held that D. K. Traders was not a separate identity and it was a dummy concern controlled by the appellant and appellant operated the bank accounts of D. K. Traders. Detail reasons have been assigned by the authorities in arriving at the aforesaid findings. Learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that registers were seized from the premises of the mother of the appellant who had carrying separate business. Hence inference cannot be drawn against the appellant. It is further submitted by the appellant that search was not taken place at the residence of the appellant. We are not in agreement with the arguments advanced by the learned counsel for the appellant. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has considered the provisions of Section 132 (4) (A) and 292 of of the Income Tax Act and recorded following findings : "These books have been written by Shri Ram Prakash Dwivedi who was also an accountant of the assessee. After going through the reply of Shri Ram Prakash Dwivedi while cross-examining him which has been reproduced by the learned CIT (A), it is clearly discernible that M/s. D. K. Traders was not a separate concern belonging to some other person or controlled by any other person but it belongs to the assessee and the transaction recorded in BF-30 belongs to the assessee. In view of these various various cumulative factors and surroundings circumstances, we hold that the transactions recorded in BF-30 are belonging to the assessee has failed to produce sufficient evidence to rebut the presumption as per various clauses of Income Tax Act, therefore, we hold that the learned CIT (A) was justified in sustaining the addition. We confirm the order of the learned CIT (A)." These findings are the findings of facts given by the authorities of the Income Tax and Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. Hence, in our opinion no substantial question of law involves for admission of appeal, we do not find any merit in this appeal. It is hereby dismissed. (S.K. GANGELE) JUDGE (ASHOK KUMAR JOSHI) JUDGE kkc

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