SIDDHARTH STRUCTURALS,MUMBAI vs. ITO 29(3)(4), MUMBAI

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ITA 1607/MUM/2017Status: DisposedITAT Mumbai05 December 2017AY 2009-103 pages
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What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal found no infirmity in the reopening of the assessment. However, considering the assessee's declared GP rate and the nature of the business, the Tribunal restricted the addition to 10% of the GP on the alleged bogus purchases.

What were the facts?

The Assessing Officer (AO) initiated reassessment proceedings based on information that the assessee made purchases from bogus suppliers. The AO estimated profit at 12.5% of the alleged bogus purchases and added it to the assessee's income. The CIT(A) upheld the reassessment and the profit estimation.

What were the issues?

Whether the reassessment proceedings were validly initiated and whether the estimation of profit on bogus purchases was justified.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 147,Section 143(3)

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Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, “SMC”, BENCH MUMBAI

Before: SHRI R.C.SHARMA, AM

For Appellant: Shri Devendra H Jain
For Respondent: Shri S.K.Mitra
Hearing: 07/09/2017Pronounced: 05/12/2017

आदेश / O R D E R PER R.C.SHARMA (A.M):

1.

This is an appeal filed by assessee against the order of CIT(A)-40, Mumbai dated 01/12/2016 for A.Y. 2009-10 in the matter of order passed u/s.143(3) r.w.s.147 of the IT Act. 2. The following grounds have been taken by the assessee:

1. In the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Learned CIT(A) has erred in upholding the reassessment proceedings initiated u/s 147 by the learned Assessing Officer without independent application of mind on the information received from DGIT(Investigation).

2. In facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the learned CIT(A)-40 has erred in confirming the action of the Assessing Officer of completing the assessment u/s 143(3) without providing any opportunity of cross examination of the witnesses relied upon by the Assessing Officer and thus violating the law laid down by Honorable Supreme Court in the case of Kishanchand Chellaram v. CIT (1980) 125 ITR 713 and Andaman M/s. Siddharth Structurals Timber Industries v. Commissioner of Central Excise (Civil Appeal No. 4228 of 2006.) 3. In facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the learned CIT(A)-40, Mumbai has erred in upholding the ad hoc addition of Rs. 29,21,470 / - being 12,5% of alleged bogus purchases of Rs. 2,33,71,789/-, merely on surmises and conjectures.

3.

Rival contentions have been heard and record perused. In this case, AO got information from Sales Tax Department as well as Investigation Wing of the Income Tax Department that assessee has made purchases from bogus suppliers. After considering the fact that without purchases, there cannot be any sales. AO estimated profit at 12.5% and same was added in assessee’s income.

4.

By the impugned order, CIT(A) upheld the reopening and further held that estimation of profit at 12.5% is reasonable. The precise observation of CIT(A) was as under:-

5.24. “”the Ld. A.O. in this case has held that the parties from whom the purchases were made by the assessee were found to be bogus and that is the reason for which it was not produced during the assessment proceedings. Not having doubted the consumption/sales, the motive behind obtaining bogus bills thus, appears to be inflation of purchase price so as to suppress true profits. As mentioned above, the AO had never disputed the sales. Once sales are accepted, corresponding purchases have to be considered and cannot be disregarded in totality. Looking to the market trend, the assessee may have made purchases from other parties which were not recorded in the books, and took only bills from these parties as accommodation, to explain the purchases. The purchases themselves are not bogus but the purchase parties shown in books are. Therefore, the entire purchase from these parties cannot be added as bogus and what needs to be taxed is the profit element embedded in such transactions. Estimations ranging from 12.5% to 25% have been upheld by the Hon'ble Gujarat High Court, depending the nature of the business. It has been held in the case of Simit P. Sheth that no uniform yardwtick could be applied to estimate the rate of profit and it varies with the nature of business.

M/s. Siddharth Structurals In the facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the considered opinion that estimation of 12.5% as profit embedded in impugned purchases shown from the said parties and adding the same to the total income returned, would meet the ends of justice. Therefore, the addition made by the Ld. AO of Rs.29,21,470/- being 12.5% of the alleged bogus purchases of Rs. 2,33,71,789/- is justified.

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