SHUSHILA DEVI,FARIDABAD vs. ITO WARD-1(5), GURGAON

This appeal by the assessee is preferred against the order of the ld. CIT(A), Faridabad dated 31.03.2019 pertaining to A.Y. 2014-15.

The grievances of the assessee read as under:

The peculiar facts of the case are that the assessee is an illiterate villager, who appeared in person before us and tried to explain the impugned facts, from which we gather that the assessee along with other family members, inherited some agricultural land in village Daulatpur, New Delhi, in which the assessee had 1/5th share. The total land area was 16 Bigas, 7 Biswas and 10 Biswani which was sold for Rs. 15,21,51,042/- by five family members.

Return of the assessee was selected for scrutiny through CASS and on finding that the said agricultural land is situated within the limits of Municipal Corporation Delhi, sale is exigible to capital gain tax and accordingly, the assessee was asked to furnish documentary evidence for the value of land as on 01.04.1981, which has been sold on 11.09.2013.

The illiterate lady could not explain nor attend the proceedings.

Appeal was filed before the ld. CIT(A) but without any success.

We have carefully considered the orders of the authorities below and tried our best to understand from the assessee herself who was present before us. What we understand is that the family sold the impugned land. Being the daughter of the family, the assessee also received 1/5th share, but out of sheer love and affection, she gave her share to her brother Shri Shamsher. The fact of payment of Rs. 2.49 crores to Shri Shamsher has also been mentioned by the Assessing Officer in the assessment order.

Rs. 47 lakhs was given to Anshu. The lady says that her brother has since deceased and, therefore, she has no evidence with her, as her sister-in-law does not allow her to enter the house. Although the Assessing Officer has mentioned the names of all the co-owners and has computed the capital gains on the total land holding and attributed 1/5th share to the assessee, but nowhere he has mentioned the status of assessment in the hands of the co-owners.

The appellant lady before us stated that her brother has purchased some agricultural land out of the consideration given by her but showed her inability to furnish documents as the same are available with her sister-in-law who does not allow her to enter into the house.

On such peculiar facts of the case, bank account of the assessee has been freezed by the officers, making her life more miserable. We do not want the illiterate lady to suffer in the hands of the revenue but at the same time we also feel helpless as we cannot do anything for this illiterate lady.

In the interest of justice and humanity, we restore the issue to the file of the Assessing Officer. The Assessing Officer is directed to verify the status of the assessment/appeal of the co-owners as mentioned by him in his assessment order. The Assessing Officer is also directed to verify from the sister in law [wife of the deceased brother of the assessee] whether the deceased had purchased agricultural land out of consideration received from the assessee, Smt. Sushila Devi.

The Assessing Officer must exercise all his powers to get information from that lady and if he finds that the brother had purchased agricultural land from the sale consideration given by the assessee, then allow claim of exemption u/s 54 of the Act and decide the issue fresh as per provisions of law and as far as possible/practical, be sympathetic to the assesses.

In the result the appeal of the assessee in is allowed for statistical purposes.