VIPUL GUPTA HUF vs. INCOME TAX OFFICER
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court dismissed the writ petition. The Court found that the order under Section 148A(d) was passed after giving the petitioner due opportunity of hearing and was a detailed order examining various facts. The Court held that the correctness of the disputed factual aspects could not be gone into in a writ petition. Furthermore, the petition was filed after the petitioner submitted a return pursuant to the notice under Section 148 and during the pendency of assessment proceedings. As no addition had been made and it was a case of reopening of assessment, the assessee would have a full opportunity to satisfy the Assessing Officer against any addition. Therefore, the Court was not inclined to admit the petition.
What were the facts?
The petitioner, Vipul Gupta HUF, challenged an order dated 05.04.2023 under Section 148A(d) and a notice dated 05.04.2023 under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for Assessment Year 2016-17. The reopening was based on information suggesting escaped assessment due to financial transactions, specifically the sale of shares in Sanasa Techfeb Limited amounting to Rs. 88,82,400/-. The Income Tax Officer noted that Sanasa Techfeb Limited appeared to be a penny stock company with minimal assets and profits, suggesting manipulation for personal gain. The petitioner denied engaging in bogus capital gains and disputed the factual basis of the ADIT (Investigation) report. The Assessing Officer, after considering the petitioner's reply, found that the petitioner claimed exempt Long Term Capital Gains of Rs. 84,36,941/- on these transactions, deeming them unexplained/unverified. The petitioner filed a return in response to the Section 148 notice and subsequently filed this writ petition.
What were the issues?
1. Whether the order dated 05.04.2023 under Section 148A(d) and the notice dated 05.04.2023 under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for Assessment Year 2016-17 are valid, considering the basis of reopening is third-party information without allowing cross-examination and based on unverified material. Assessee's Contention: The assessment was reopened based on third-party information without clinching material, and the petitioner was not allowed to cross-examine the source of information. The power under Section 148A(d) was exercised based on unverified and suspicious material without proper inquiry. The correctness of factual statements in the impugned order is also disputed. Revenue's Contention: Not recorded in the judgment.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
[2023:RJ-JP:20387-DB] HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 9335/2023 Vipul Gupta Huf, Represented Through Its Karta Vipul Gupta S/o Mani Ram Gupta Aged About 44 Years Resident Of 13/12A, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur - 302017, Rajasthan, India ----Petitioner Versus 1. Income Tax Officer, Ward 6 (1), Jaipur, Having Office At New Central Revenue Building, Bhagwan Das Road, Jaipur - 302005, Rajasthan, India 2. Additional Director Of Income Tax (ADIT), Investigation (Inv.), Ajmer, Having Office At Aayakar Bhawan, Near Bus Stand, Jaipur Road, Ajmer - 305001, Rajasthan India 3. Central Board Of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Represented Through Its Chairman Having Office At Ministry Of Finance, North Block, New Delhi - 110011, Delhi, India ----Respondents For Petitioner(s) : Mr. Prateek Kedawat, Advocate with Mr. Prateek Barla, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr. Sandeep Pathak, Advocate through VC with Mr. Arnav Singh, Advocate HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAVEER BHATNAGAR Judgment / Order 14/07/2023 Heard on admission. This petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is directed against the order dated 05.04.2023 issued under Section 148A(d) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act of 1961’) as also notice dated 05.04.2023 issued under Section 148 of the Act of 1961 for the Assessment Year 2016-17. (Uploaded on 18/09/2023 at 05:59:13 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 09:44:12 AM)
[2023:RJ-JP:20387-DB] (2 of 4) [CW-9335/2023] Learned counsel for the petitioner argued that the assessment in case of the petitioner has been reopened on the basis of a third party information without having clinching material on record and even without allowing the petitioner to cross-examine the person concerned from whom such information was received and whose statement was recorded during investigation forming the basis for opening assessment. He would also submit that based on unverified and suspicious material without proper investigations and inquiry, the power under Section 148A(d) of the Act of 1961 has been exercised and re-assessment proceedings have been initiated. The correctness of the factual statements made in the impugned order have also been challenged. We find that a notice under Section 148A(b) of the Act of 1961 was issued to the petitioner on 21.03.2023 by the Assessing Officer along with annexures disclosing information suggesting that income chargeable to tax for the Assessment Year 2016-17 has escaped assessment. The petitioner was required to show cause as to why, in view of details contained in the enclosures, notice under Section 148 of the Act of 1961 should not be issued. The annexure enclosed stated that as per information available on insight portal, assessee made financial transactions (sale of shares) of Rs.88,82,400/- during financial year 2015-16 relating to Assessment Year 2016-17. The description disclosed that sale of equity share (settled by the actual delivery or transfer) in a recognized stock exchange amounting to Rs. 88,82,400/- were disclosed. Referring to background, management, financial performance and balance sheet particulars of Sanasa Techfeb Limited. The notice stated that the company has neither the meaningful tangible assets nor any substantial investments and profit and loss account for the stated financial year shows miniscule profits. According to the (Uploaded on 18/09/2023 at 05:59:13 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 09:44:12 AM)
[2023:RJ-JP:20387-DB] (3 of 4) [CW-9335/2023] Assessing Officer, the said details show that the manipulation were made by the clients and the brokerage firms for personal gains. The company has neither paid any dividend to the share holders nor any bonus has been announced. The trade data of the said company was also called from the Bombay Stock Exchange and details were collected. The information was also disclosed by the ADIT (Investigation) Ajmer, wherein, it was stated that M/s. Sanasa Techfeb Limited is a penny stock company, hence, the trading done and the profit earned on the sale of the shares of this company were bogus and designed to camouflage undisclosed income of various persons including assessee as capital gain from sale of shares. The petitioner gave a reply, wherein, all the allegations were denied. According to the petitioner, it has not indulged in any bogus capital gain and raised issue that shares of Sanasa Techfeb Limited were listed on SME Portal of BSE which is separate from BSE main Portal. The assessee disputed the factual contents of the report prepared by ADIT (Investigation) Ajmer which was made basis to initiate proceedings under Section 148A(d) of the Act. The Assessing Officer vide order dated 05.04.2023 passed a detailed order, after taking into consideration the reply filed by the petitioner to arrive at conclusion based on consideration of material on record that the assessee is one of those who purchased shares from Sanasa Techfeb Limited and upon verification of the ITR filed by the assessee and perusal of computation it is revealed that assessee claimed exempt income of Rs.84,36,941/- under Long Term Capital Gain on which STT paid, hence, the entire transaction remained unexplained/unverified. On that basis, order was passed highlighting (Uploaded on 18/09/2023 at 05:59:13 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 09:44:12 AM)
[2023:RJ-JP:20387-DB] (4 of 4) [CW-9335/2023] need to verify those transactions. This follows issuance of notice under Section 148 of the Act of 1961. The assessee did not challenge the said order but chose to file its return in response to notice under Section 148 of the Act of 1961. During the pendency of the assessment proceedings, the assessee has filed this writ petition. Though, number of grounds have been urged by the assessee to assail the correctness of order dated 05.04.2023 under Section 148A(d) of the Act of 1961, we find that the order has been passed after giving due opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. The order is detailed one. It contains examination of various facts, correctness of which have been disputed by the petitioner. The correctness of those factual aspects cannot be gone into in the writ petition. The petitioner has filed petition after submitting return pursuant to notice under Section 148 of the Act of 1961. In the absence of there being any improprietory in the decision making process and further taking into consideration that the petition was filed after submitting return of income and during the pendency of the assessment proceedings and further that no addition has been made but it is a case of reopening of assessment and the assessee would have full opportunity to satisfy the Assessing Officer against any addition, we are not inclined to admit the petition. The petition is, therefore, dismissed. (PRAVEER BHATNAGAR),J (MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA),J Mohita/4 Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org) (Uploaded on 18/09/2023 at 05:59:13 PM) (Downloaded on 30/10/2026 at 09:44:12 AM)
More judgments on Section 148A
- Rajesh Kumar Khandelwal, Jaipur vs ITO Ward 5(1), JaipurITA 21/JPR/2026[2016-17]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2016-17
- Kamleshkumar Somalal Bhatt, Himatnagar vs Income Tax Ofifcer, Ward 1, HimatnagarITA 2130/AHD/2026[2019-20]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Haresh Sharma, Ahmedabad vs ITO, Ward 5(3)(1), AhmedabadITA 2124/AHD/2026[2019-20]Status: Disposed21 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Shree Bandharda Seva Sahkari Mandli Ltd… vs Income Tax Officer Ward -4, JunagadhITA 881/RJT/2025[2019-20]Status: Disposed19 Oct 2026AY 2019-20
- Nitinbhai Nanalal Badani, Rajkot vs CIT (Appeals), National Faceless Appeal…ITA 658/RJT/2025[2020-21]Status: Disposed19 Oct 2026AY 2020-21
Recent GST High Court judgments
Search GST case law →- Commissioner/Additional Commissioner Of Central Tax vs. M/S INDIA Agro Exports Private LimitedKarnataka · 28 Oct 2026
- Manoj Kumar Prop M K Steel Traders vs. Additional Commissioner, Central Goods And Services Tax & Anr.Delhi · 28 Oct 2026
- M/S. Rohit Medical Systems vs. Commissioner Of Delhi Goods And Services Tax And Anr.Delhi · 28 Oct 2026
- Manoj Kumar Prop M K Steel Traders vs. Additional Commissioner, Central Goods And Services Tax & Anr.Delhi · 28 Oct 2026
- Shivam Kumar vs. The State Of BiharPatna · 28 Oct 2026