PR. COMMISSIONER OF INICOME TAX-19 vs. VISHWASHAKTI CONSTUCTION

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ITXA/1016/2018HC Bombay04 May 2023Bench: HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR HON'BLE JUSTICE KAMAL KHATA5 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The Tribunal upheld the CIT(A)'s decision to treat the purchases from ten parties as bogus. However, it also upheld the CIT(A)'s view that only the profit element embedded in these purchases, estimated at 12.5% of the disputed amount, should be added to the total income. The Tribunal relied on the Gujarat High Court's decision in CIT V/s. Bholanath Poly Fab Pvt. Ltd. The Bombay High Court, in this judgment, agreed with the Tribunal, noting that if the entire purchases were disallowed, it would be impossible to justify the completion of works allotted to the assessee by semi-government agencies. The High Court found no substantial question of law arising and dismissed the appeals. The principle is that when purchases from bogus parties are made by a contractor who completes the work, the profit element embedded in such purchases can be taxed, rather than disallowing the entire purchase cost.

What were the facts?

The assessee, Vishwashakti Construction, a partnership firm engaged in road and building repairs for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, filed its return for AY 2009-10 declaring an income of Rs. 37,04,810. The Assessing Officer (AO) identified purchases of Rs. 88,53,059 from ten entities. Information from the Sales Tax Department indicated these parties were bogus. Notices under Section 133(6) were not complied with, and the assessee failed to produce the suppliers. The AO treated the entire Rs. 88,53,059 as bogus purchases and added it to the income. The CIT(A) agreed the purchases were bogus but held only the profit element, estimated at 12.5%, should be added. The ITAT upheld the CIT(A)'s decision.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the Tribunal erred in upholding the addition of 12.5% of the alleged bogus purchases to the assessee's income, instead of disallowing the entire purchase amount? (Question of law) Assessee's Contention: Not explicitly recorded in the judgment. Revenue's Contention: The revenue argued that the entire purchase amount of Rs. 88,53,059 should be treated as bogus and added to the assessee's income, as the suppliers were found to be bogus and there was non-compliance with notices. The revenue likely relied on the principle that if purchases are from non-existent or bogus parties, the entire expenditure should be disallowed. The judgment does not record specific authorities or precedents relied upon by the revenue.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 260A,Section 133(6),Section 143(3),Section 147

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

15 & 20 ITXA.1016 & 1026 of 2018.OS.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1016 OF 2018 WITH INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1026 OF 2018 Pr. Commissioner of Income } Tax-19, R.No. 228, Matru Mandir, } Tardeo Rd, Mumbai – 400 007 } ...Appellant Versus Vishwashakti Construction } Room No. 20/21, 1st floor, 10, } Atul Niwas, 7th Khetwadi Lane, } Mumbai – 400 004 } …Respondent **** Mr. Suresh Kumar, Advocate for the Appellant. Ms. Neelam C. Jadhav, Advocate for the Respondent. ****

CORAM : DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR AND KAMAL KHATA, JJ. PRONOUNCED ON : 4th MAY, 2023. J U D G M E N T

PER DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, J.: . Both these appeals have been preferred under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (“the Act”) challenging the order dated 20th January, 2017 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, R.V. Patil 1 of 5 CNR No : HCBM020183362017 Uploaded on - 04/05/2023 Downloaded on - 27/10/2026 17:55:41

15 & 20 ITXA.1016 & 1026 of 2018.OS.doc Bench ‘F’, Mumbai (“ITAT”), for the assessment years 2009-10 and 2010-11. 2. The facts and issues arising in both these appeals are identical, however, for the sake of deciding the issue, reference is being made to the facts in I.T.A. No.1016 of 2018. 3. As many as fve questions of law have been framed for our consideration: 4. Briefly stated the material facts in the backdrop of which the present controversy has arisen, are as under: The Appellant/assessee is a partnership frm engaged in the business of road repairs/construction as an contractor for Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (M.C.G.M). Return of income was fled relevant to the assessment year 2009-10 declaring a total income of Rs.37,04,810/-. The Assessing Offcer (A.O.), during the course of assessment proceedings noticed that the assessee had claimed total purchases of Rs.88,53,059/- from various entities. Information was also received from the Sales Tax Department in respect of certain bogus parties. The TIN of the said R.V. Patil 2 of 5 Uploaded on - 04/05/2023 Downloaded on - 27/10/2026 17:55:41

15 & 20 ITXA.1016 & 1026 of 2018.OS.doc parties matched with those from whom the purchases were alleged to have been made by the Appellant. Notices under Section 133(6) of the Act were issued by the A.O. to which there was no compliance. The assessee is also stated to have failed to produce the said parties from the aforesaid ten entities. Consequently, the A.O. treated the amount of Rs.88,53,059/- as bogus purchases to inflate the expenditure and added back the same to the total income which was determined at Rs.1,25,57,870/- in its order under Section 143(3) r/w Section 147 of the Act, dated 10th March, 2014. 5. An appeal was preferred before the CIT(A) by the assessee, who concurred with the A.O. that purchases from the ten parties in question were bogus but held that the entire amount of such purchases could not be added to the total income and that only the proft element embedded and suppressed in the disputed purchases be assessed to income, which he estimated at 12.5%. The CIT(A) accordingly retained the addition to the extent of 12.5% while deleting the rest. 6. An appeal was preferred before the ITAT both by the assessee R.V. Patil 3 of 5 Uploaded on - 04/05/2023 Downloaded on - 27/10/2026 17:55:41

15 & 20 ITXA.1016 & 1026 of 2018.OS.doc as also the revenue, which was fnally decided by virtue of the order impugned dated 20th January, 2017, which is impugned in the present appeal. The Tribunal upheld the view of the CIT(A) to treat the purchases from ten parties as bogus and also upheld the view expressed by the CIT(A) to sustain the addition to the extent of 12.5% of the amount of the disputed purchases relying upon the decision of Gujarat High Court in the case of CIT V/s. Bholanath Poly Fab Pvt. Ltd.1. In a case involving a similar issue, even this Court in Income Tax Appeal No. 398 of 2018 decided on 18th July, 2022, had dismissed the appeal fled by the revenue on the ground that if the entire amount of purchases were to be held as non-genuine purchases, then it would not be possible to justify as to how the works allotted to the assessee for execution by the semi Government Agencies, could be completed. 7. Even in the present case the Appellant is a contractor, who had been allotted a subcontract for carrying out civil works of road and buildings repairs for which various types of building materials are stated to have been purchased from several suppliers including 1 [2013] 355 ITR 290 (Guj) R.V. Patil 4 of 5 Uploaded on - 04/05/2023 Downloaded on - 27/10/2026 17:55:41

15 & 20 ITXA.1016 & 1026 of 2018.OS.doc the ten suppliers, who are alleged to have been providing accommodation entries. It is not denied that the works allotted had been completed for the concerned agency, which would have been otherwise impossible, if the entire purchases made by the Appellant were to be held as non-genuine. In our opinion the order passed by the Tribunal warrants no interference. No substantial questions of law arise in the present appeal. This decision shall apply mutatis mutandis to I.T.A. No. 1026 of 2018. In the result, both the appeals are, accordingly, dismissed. (KAMAL KHATA, J.)

(DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, J.) R.V. Patil 5 of 5 Uploaded on - 04/05/2023 Downloaded on - 27/10/2026 17:55:41 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

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