Home Case Index All Cases Income Tax Income Tax + HC Income Tax - 2016 (2) TMI HC This
Forgot password New User/ Regiser ⇒ Register to get Live Demo
2016 (2) TMI 899 - HC - Income TaxViolation of the principles of natural justice - fictitious payments of commission - Held that:- While the wisdom of applying Section 33 of the IEA to the evidence of Mr. Meattle may be doubtful, the Court is of the view that de hors the evidence of Mr. Meattle, the evidence of Mr. Jhunjhunwala was by itself sufficient to draw an adverse inference against the Assessee that the payments of commission were fictitious. The Court is not persuaded to hold that Mr. Jhunjhunwala had made contradictory and inconsistent statements particularly since he was never confronted with those inconsistencies and contradictions by the Assessee. If, as is urged by the Assessee, Mr. Meattle’s statements are to be entirely kept aside, then Mr. Jhunjhunwala’s statements can be examined for their intrinsic worth. The Assessee took a calculated risk in declining to cross-examine Mr. Jhunjhunwala on the understanding that it had to be preceded by the cross-examination of Mr. Meattle. Two conclusions that could be drawn from the above narration are that there is no violation of principles of natural justice as far as the Assessee is concerned, and the uncontroverted statements of Mr. Jhunjhunwala were sufficient to substantiate the case of the Revenue against the Assessee. Penalty u/s 271(1)(c) - Held that:- Here the question is not mere making of a wrong claim but in making a claim that is demonstrably false. With the Assessee failing to establish the genuineness to the commission payments the essential conditions for attracting penalty under Section 271 (1) (c) of the Act stood fulfilled. The impugned orders of the ITAT and the CIT (A) deleting the penalty are hereby set aside. The penalty as ordered by the AO is restored. The question framed is answered in the negative, i.e., in favour of the Revenue and against the Assessee.
|