PR.COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX-19 vs. S V JIWANI

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ITXA/552/2018HC Bombay03 October 2022Author: HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE VALMIKI SA MENEZES7 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that the ITAT's order was well-reasoned and took into account all relevant facts. The Court found no substantial questions of law arising from the appeal. The ITAT had reasoned that it would not have been possible for the assessee to execute contract works for the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) without purchasing materials and goods, even if not from the declared sources. Therefore, the Tribunal concluded that the entire purchase amount could not be added back as income, but only the profit element embedded therein should be treated as the assessee's income. The High Court found no reason to interfere with this order and accordingly dismissed the appeal. The Cross Objection filed by the respondent (assessee) was not pressed and was disposed of.

What were the facts?

The assessee, S V Jiwani, engaged in civil contract works, filed its return for assessment year 2009-10. The assessment was initially completed under Section 143(3) at Rs.93,72,290/-. Subsequently, based on information from the Sales Tax Department regarding alleged accommodation entries for purchases totaling Rs.4,50,08,383/-, the assessment was reopened under Section 147. An order under Section 143(3) r/w Section 147 added the entire Rs.4,50,08,383/- as bogus purchases under Section 69C. The CIT(A) partly allowed the appeal, limiting the addition to 12.5% of the alleged purchases (Rs.56,26,047/-), holding that only the profit element should be taxed. The ITAT dismissed the revenue's appeal, agreeing that only the profit element, not the entire purchase amount, was taxable. The revenue has appealed to the High Court.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the ITAT's order is perverse for not considering the Supreme Court's decision in N K Protein Ltd. (dated 16.01.2017) on bogus purchases, which was the law of the land when the ITAT passed its order on 03.05.2017? (Question of law) 2. Whether the ITAT erred in ignoring the decision in N K Proteins (Ahmedabad High Court, affirmed by Supreme Court) which held that taxing only 25% of bogus claims is incorrect when suppliers are found to be bogus, a situation analogous to the present case where the AO held purchases to be bogus? (Question of mixed law and fact) 3. Whether the ITAT erred in overlooking that the addition made by the AO was based on details of a scam unearthed by the Sales Tax Department, establishing that the assessee took bills from bogus parties without actual purchases? (Question of mixed law and fact) 4. Whether the ITAT erred in ignoring that purchases from bogus parties debited in the P&L Account were not allowable without submission of evidence? (Question of mixed law and fact) 5. Whether the ITAT erred in upholding the CIT(A)'s order which limited the disallowance to 12.5% of alleged purchases without verification of quantitative data and material movement? (Question of mixed law and fact) Assessee's contentions (implied from the grounds of appeal and the ITAT's reasoning): The ITAT correctly held that the entire purchase amount could not be added back as income, but only the profit element embedded therein. The assessee's ability to execute contracts with MCGM implies procurement of materials, even if from alternative sources. The CIT(A)'s disallowance of 12.5% was reasonable. Revenue's contentions (implied from the grounds of appeal): The ITAT's order is perverse and erroneous for ignoring binding Supreme Court and High Court precedents on bogus purchases. The AO conclusively held the parties to be bogus, and the ITAT should have followed the principle that once suppliers are held bogus, taxing only a portion of the claim is incorrect. The addition was based on a sales tax department scam, and purchases debited to P&L without evidence are not allowable. The CIT(A)'s 12.5% disallowance was arbitrary.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 260A,Section 143(3),Section 147,Section 69C

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 552 OF 2018 WITH CROSS OBJECTION NO. 16 OF 2018 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 552 OF 2018 Pr. Commissioner of Income Tax-19, } R. No. 228, Matru Mandir, Tardeo } Rd, Mumbai-400 007 } .. Appellant Versus S V Jiwani } 25, 2nd Khetwani Lane, 2nd Floor, } Narayan Niwas, C P Tank, Goldeval, } Mumbai-400 004. } .. Respondent **** Mr. Ashok Kotangle a/w Mr. P. A. Narayanan, Mr. Ajay V. Anand & Ms. Raveen Kaur, Advocate for the Appellant in ITXA/552/2018 & for Respondent in CROL/16/2018. Mr. Rahul J. Hakani, Advocate for the Appellant (Cross objector) in CROL/16/2018 & for Respondent in ITXA/552/2018. ****

CORAM : DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR AND VALMIKI SA MENEZES JJ. PRONOUNCED ON : 03rd OCTOBER, 2022

R.V. Patil 1 of 7 CNR No : HCBM020262292017 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 [PER DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, J.] . The present appeal has been preferred under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (“the Act”) against the order dated 03rd May, 2017 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Bench ‘E’, Mumbai (ITAT), in Income Tax Appeal No.4549/Mum/2015, relevant to the assessment year 2009-10. 2. The following questions of law have been proposed for our consideration: “6.1 Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the order of the Hon’ble ITAT is perverse in not considering the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of N K Protein Ltd. dated 16.01.2017, which is on the similar issue of bogus purchases and when the Hon’ble Apex Court order was already the law of the land when the Hon’ble ITAT has pronounced its order on 03.05.2017?

6.2.

Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Honble ITAT erred in ignoring the decision in the case of N K Proteins by Hon’ble Ahmedabad High Court, further affrmed by Hon’ble Supreme Court, as mentioned at ground No. 1 above, wherein Hon’ble High Court, relying on the fndings of the Hon’ble ITAT, Ahmedabad, that the suppliers are bogus, has given a fnding that once the suppliers are R.V. Patil 2 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 held bogus, then it is not correct to tax only 25% of the bogus claims? This is further supported by the fact that in this case also, the AO has categorically and conclusively held that the parties from whom the purchases are shown to be made are bogus purchases as the concerns are providing bogus bills and this fnding of the AO has been further strengthened by the fndings of the higher appellate authority which is never controverted by Hon’ble ITAT?

6.

3 Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Hon’ble ITAT erred in overlooking the fact that addition made by AO based on details of scam unearthed by Sales Tax Department wherein it was established that the assessee had taken bills from bogus parties without actually making purchases from them? 6.4 whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Hon’ble ITAT erred in ignoring that the purchases from bogus parties are debited in P & L Account for which the assessee had not submitted any evidences, and the same was not allowable?

6.5.

Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Hon’ble ITAT erred in upholding the order of the Ld.CIT(A) who had limited and disallowance to the extent of 12.5% of the total alleged purchase without verifcation and confrmation of quantitative data of material sourced and its subsequent movement during the year?”

3.

Briefly stated the material facts are as under: The Assessee undertakes civil contract works awarded R.V. Patil 3 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 mostly by Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM). Return of income was fled for the assessment year 2009-10, declaring a total income of Rs.92,36,071/-. The assessment was completed under Section 143(3) of the Act, at a total income of Rs.93,72,290/-. The case of the assessee was reopened on the basis of information received from Sales Tax Department through DGIT (Inv.), Mumbai, that the assessee had made purchases of Rs.4,50,08,383/-, which seemed to be accommodation entries. An order under Section 143(3) r/w Section 147 was passed on 26th March, 2014, making an entire addition of Rs.4,50,08,383/- as bogus purchase under Section 69C of the Act, thereby determining the assessee’s income at Rs.5,43,80,670/-.

4.

An appeal was preferred before the Pr. Commissioner of Income Tax, (Appeals), who allowed the appeal partly vide its order dated 19th May, 2015. The Appellate Authority held that payments made by the assessee were through banking channels and that there was no evidence to prove that the cash had flowed back to the appellant. Purchase invoices and R.V. Patil 4 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 ledger statements also appear to have been produced before the Appellate Authority. It was held that what was taxable under the Income Tax Act, was only the real income. Even when the transaction was not verifable only the income component, could be taxed and not the entire transaction amount. It was also held that it was undisputed that the sale proceeds of the goods had been duly accounted for in the books and offered to tax, hence, the entire purchase amount could not have been added in the present case and that with a view to plug any revenue leakage in the aforementioned circumstances, disallowance of @12.5% was held to be reasonable to safeguard the interest of revenue. It, therefore, confrmed the addition to the extent of 12.5% of the alleged purchases of Rs.4,50,08,383/- i.e. Rs.56,26,047/-, therefore, relief was granted to the appellant to the extent of Rs.4,50,08,383/- – Rs.56,26,047/- = Rs.3,93,82,336/-. The order of CIT (Appeals) was challenged before the Tribunal vide its order dated 03rd May, 2017, dismissed the same. It was held that without purchasing materials and R.V. Patil 5 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 goods, it would not have been possible on the part of the assessee to execute the contract work with the MCGM, which is a Government Authority. It also held that the A.O. had not disputed the turnover of the contract work executed by the assessee and that unless the assessee procured the materials and goods, if not from the declared sources but from some other sources, it would not be possible on the part of the assessee to execute work awarded by MCGM. The Tribunal, therefore, held that the entire purchase made by the assessee could not be added back as income, but only proft element embedded therein, be treated as income of the assessee.

5.

We have gone through the well reasoned order of the Tribunal, which has taken into account all relevant facts before passing the order impugned. In our opinion, the order does not warrant any interference. No substantial questions of law arise in the present appeal and the same is, accordingly, dismissed.

6.

Learned Counsel for the Respondent stated that he did not wish to press the cross objections in CROL No. 16 of 2018 R.V. Patil 6 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 and the same is, accordingly disposed of. (VALMIKI SA MENEZES, J.) (DHIRAJ SINGH THAKUR, J.) R.V. Patil 7 of 7 Uploaded on - 04/10/2022 Downloaded on - 28/10/2026 03:30:27 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

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