PRATYUSHA CHANDRA SUBUDHI,BHUBANESWAR vs. DCIT, CIRCLE-1(1), BHUBANESWAR

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ITA 90/CTK/2026Status: DisposedITAT Cuttack24 February 2026AY 2016-17Bench: SHRI GEORGE MATHAN (Judicial Member), SHRI MADHUSUDAN SAWDIA (Accountant Member)21 pages

In favour of the Revenue: the assessee's appeal was dismissed. From the AI summary of this appeal.

AI SummaryDismissed

What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal held that the sale consideration should be considered as Rs.5,20,00,000/-. The reasoning was based on several discrepancies and observations. Firstly, the agreement dated 28.11.2014 was more detailed, including mobile numbers, whereas the agreement dated 30.5.2015 was vague, with an unclear notary serial number and no signature from the assessee. Crucially, the property was converted to freehold by an order dated 19.3.2015, prior to the second agreement, making the assessee's claim that the second agreement was necessitated by the delay in conversion false. The Tribunal found that the second agreement, dated 30.5.2015, appeared to have been created solely to reflect the government rate for registration (Rs.3,80,00,000/-) and to counter the AO's notice based on the original agreement. The original agreement for Rs.5,20,00,000/- was considered the primary agreement. The Tribunal rejected the assessee's argument that the revenue lacked evidence, stating that the assessee, having entered into the agreement, possessed knowledge of it, and the revenue came to know of it through a tax evasion petition. Therefore, the addition made by the AO and confirmed by the CIT(A) was upheld. The appeal of the assessee was dismissed.

What were the facts?

The assessee, Pratyusha Chandra Subudhi, appealed an order by the CIT(A), NFAC, Delhi, concerning assessment year 2016-17. The dispute revolves around the sale consideration of a property purchased by the assessee. Initially, an agreement dated 28.11.2014 was entered into with Shri Ajit Kumar Das for Rs.5,20,00,000/-, subject to the property being converted from leasehold to freehold. As the conversion was delayed, a second agreement dated 30.5.2015 was executed, recording the sale consideration at Rs.3,80,00,000/-. A sale deed was subsequently registered on 29.6.2015 for Rs.3,80,00,000/-. The Assessing Officer (AO) treated the difference of Rs.1,40,00,000/- as unexplained investment, which was confirmed by the CIT(A). The assessee contended that the second agreement superseded the first and that the revenue lacked evidence to prove the higher consideration.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the Tribunal had to decide if the sale consideration of the property should be considered as Rs.5,20,00,000/- as per the initial agreement dated 28.11.2014 or Rs.3,80,00,000/- as per the subsequent agreement dated 30.5.2015 and the sale deed dated 29.6.2015, turning on the provisions related to unexplained investment and proof of consideration. Assessee's contentions: - The second agreement dated 30.5.2015, entered into due to the delay in leasehold to freehold conversion, validly renegotiated the sale consideration to Rs.3,80,00,000/-. - The Sub-Registrar accepted the consideration of Rs.3,80,00,000/-, and no adverse inference should be drawn. - The revenue has no evidence to prove that the assessee paid the difference of Rs.1,40,00,000/-. - The addition made by the AO and confirmed by the CIT(A) should be deleted. Revenue's contentions: - No cancellation of the original agreement dated 28.11.2014 was produced by the assessee. - The order of the AO and CIT(A) is supported.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 271(1)(c)

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, CUTTACK BENCH CUTTACK

Before: SHRI GEORGE MATHAN & SHRI MADHUSUDAN SAWDIA

For Respondent: Shri Sanjib Banerjee, Id Sr DR
Hearing: 24/02/2026

आदेश / O R D E R Per Bench : This is an appeal filed by the assessee against the order dated 19.1.2026 passed by CIT(A), NFAC, Delhi in Appeal No.NFAC/2015-16/10139830 for the assessment year 2016-17. 2. Shri Jaish Joshi, ld AR appeared for the assessee and Shri Sanjib Banerjee, ld Sr DR appeared for the revenue. 3. It was submitted by ld AR that the assessee had purchased a property namely “Residential Plot at Sahid Nagar, Bhubaneswar” for a consideration of Rs.3,80,00,000/- from Shri Ajit Kumar Das by a sale deed dated 29.6.2015. It was the submission that a tax evasion petition had been received by the Assessing Officer that the property was being transacted for a consideration of Rs.5,20,00,000/-. It was the submission that admittedly, an agreement had been entered into by the assessee with Shri Ajit Kumar Das on 28.11.2014, wherein, the consideration was originally recorded at Rs.5,20,00,000/- and subject to the condition of conversion of the property from leasehold to freehold. The copy of the agreement reads as follows:

“

4.

It was the submission that as the conversion could not be done within the time, the agreement was renegotiated and a fresh agreement was entered into on 30.5.2015, wherein, the sale consideration was recorded at Rs.3,80,00,000/-. The agreement dated 30.5.2015 reads as follows: “

5.

It was the submission that a sale deed was also entered into on 29.6.2015 at a consideration of Rs.3,80,00,000/- reads as follows:

“

6.

It was the submission that the second agreement having been entered into on 30.5.2015, the validity of the agreement entered into on 28.11.2014 no more survive and it is the second agreement which should be considered. It was the further submission that the Sub-Registrar also accepted the sale consideration of Rs.3,80,00,000/- and no adverse inference is liable to be drawn. It was the submission that it was only because the condition mentioned in the original agreement was followed insofar as the conversion of the land from leasehold to freehold has not been done by the seller, it was then the assessee had renegotiated the price to Rs.3,80,00,000/-. It was the submission that the Assessing Officer did not accept the contention of the assessee and on the basis of the first agreement entered into by the assessee at Rs.5,20,00,000/- brought to tax the difference of Rs.1,40,00,000/- as the unexplained investment made by the assessee. It was the submission that the Revenue does not have any evidence to show that the assessee has paid such Rs.1,40,00,000/- to the seller. It was the prayer that the addition made by the AO and confirmed by ld CIT(A) is liable to be deleted.

7.

In reply, ld Sr DR submitted that no cancellation of the original agreement has been shown by the assessee. He vehemently supported the order of the AO and ld CIT(A).

8.

We have considered the rival submissions. A perusal of the agreement for sale dated 28.11.2014 shows that the sale deed is notorised and the name of the notary in the sale deed is also available. The same also shows Sl. No., date as also the name and address parties. A perusal of the second agreement dated 30.5.2015 shows that the Sl.No. and details of the notary are clearly vague and Sl. No. is not marked at all. A perusal of the agreement to sale deed dated 28.11.2014 shows that in clause -2, there is requirement of the first party to pursue the application for conversion in the G.A. Department for early conversion of the plot from leasehold to freehold. A perusal of the sale deed more specifically at pages 5 & 6 of the sale deed shows that the said property has been converted to freehold by an order dated 19.3.2015. Thus, the claim of the assessee that a fresh agreement has been entered into on 30.5.2015 because the conversion had not been done is false. A perusal of the agreement for sale deed dated 28.11.2014, which is showing the consideration amount of Rs.5,20,00,000/- is a much more detailed agreement whereas the agreement dated 30.5.2015 shows the same as just agreement to specify the figure of Rs.3,80,00,000/-. A perusal of the sale deed clearly shows that the valuation of the property as per the Government rate is Rs.3,80,00,000/-. Thus, clearly the second agreement dated 30.5.2015 has been created only after fixing the government rate required for registering the property. The original agreement admittedly for Rs.5,20,00,000/- is clearly the main agreement, which is the very foundation for the sale of the property. A perusal of the agreement dated 28.11.2014 also shows that the same contains the mobile numbers of various persons involved whereas the second agreement shows to be entered into on 30.5.2015 have no details whatsoever. It becomes clear that the second agreement dated 30.5.2015 has been created only for the purpose of an agreement of creating evidence to respond to notices issued by the Assessing Officer on the basis of the original agreement for sale entered into on 28.11.2014 for an amount of Rs.5,20,00,000/-. The claim of ld AR that the Revenue has not brought out any evidence to substantiate the amount of Rs.5,20,00,000/- does not stand insofar as it is the assessee who has entered into the agreement for purchase of the property and it is the assessee who has knowledge of this agreement dated 28.11.2014 but unfortunately this came to the knowledge of the revenue only on account of tax evasion petition. It may also be mentioned here that in the agreement dated 30.5.2015, the signature of the assessee is missing and only his name is written whereas agreement dated 28.11.2014 contains the signature of the assessee. All these clearly show that the actual sale consideration of Rs.5,20,00,000/- is as per the original sale agreement dated 28.11.2014 and not Rs.3,80,00,000/- as per the second agreement of sale deed dated 30.5.2015 or sale deed dated 29.6.2015. This being so, the addition as made by the AO and confirmed by ld CIT(A) stands upheld.

9.

In the result, appeal of the assessee stands dismissed. Order dictated and pronounced in the open court on 24/02/2026.

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