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2015 (3) TMI 1307 - ITAT MUMBAIDeemed rental income - Increasing the rents of protected tenants - Held that:- Assessing Officer had committed an error in considering the amount of money deposited, in court, by Bank of Punjab in the subsequent assessment years as rent due to the assessee instead of compensation/occupation charges, which is directed by the court to be paid by party (in this case Bank of Punjab) against whom eviction order had been passed, which is in direct contradiction of the Assessing Officer's own finding in Page-2 of the Assessment Order, wherein the Assessing Officer has admitted that in July,2003, Bank of Punjab was directed to pay compensation of ₹ 1,42,000/- per month by Delhi High Court. This amount (deposited by Bank of Punjab) which the Assessing Officer treats as rental income is in reality compensation for wrongful possession which was deposited only in the subsequent assessment years by Bank of Punjab, and was received by the assessee only in A.Y.2007-2008, and A.Y.2008-09. There is wrong presumption by the Assessing Officer that Bank of Punjab and not Hem Kunt Chemicals was the assessee’s tenant without appreciating that as per Sec. 16(a) and (b) of the Delhi Rent Act no tenant without the previous consent in writing of the land lord has the right to sublet or assign the premises occupied by him. Once eviction orders are passed the relationship of land lord/tenant comes to an end. Thereafter, the land lord can be awarded only compensation by the Court till possession is handed back to the land lord by the tenant. Thus, there was a gross error in the assessment order in increasing the rents of all the Appellant's remaining 39 protected tenants (being ₹ 23,769/- per Month paid to the Appellant by its lawful/ protected tenants) by 19000% i.e. to ₹ 50, 72,233/ - Per Month because these lawful tenants are 'protected tenants' who enjoy protection under the Delhi Rent Control Act,1958. Sec 6A of the Delhi Rent Act 1958 has restricted the power of land lords (i.e. the appellant herein) to increase rents beyond 10% and that too only after every 3 years. Section 105 and 107 of the transfer of Transfer of Property Act does not confer any right on any Civil Court to fix the rent of any premises, which is a matter between the Lessor and the Lessee subject to provisions of the Rent Act. The Appellant is expressly barred from receiving any consideration for creation of a sub-tenant or the tenants as per see 16(4) of the Delhi Rent Act. - Decided against revenue
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