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2015 (10) TMI 2753 - AT - Income TaxInitiation of the reassessment proceedings u/s 147 - addition u/s 68 - non application of mind by AO - HELD THAT:- At the time of recording of the reasons the Assessing Officer apparently was not having any idea about the nature of the transactions entered into by the assessee. In the reasons recorded there is no mention about the nature of the transactions. As per provision of section 147 an assessment can be reopened if the Assessing Officer has reasons to believe that any income chargeable to tax has escaped assessment. The reasons to believe has to be that of the AO and further there have to be application of mind by the Assessing Officer though the reasons to believe does not mean that the Assessing Officer should have finally ascertained the fact that income has escaped assessment but at the same time, it also means that the Assessing Officer is required to examine the facts on the basis of the information and Satisfy himself that the taxable income has escaped assessment. In the Present case on going through the reasons it is quite evident that AO was also not aware of the nature of the accommodation entries. In the reasons recorded he has simply mentioned the name of the party and the amount and nowhere has stated the nature of such entry. This also shows that the Assessing Officer has made no effort to look into the return of the assessee which was available with him. From sheet appended to the reasons and quoted on page 4 of the assessment order whereby against Item no. 7; whether the assessment is proposed to be made for the first time, the Assessing Officer has stated 'Yes', and in Column no. 7(a), whether any voluntary return had already been filed and in Column no. 8 (b), date of filing the said return 'NA' has been stated. Thus this is clear case of non-application of mind by the Assessing Officer. The reopening of the assessment is without application of mind and examination of the facts and accordingly the reopening is held to be invalid and accordingly the same is quashed. Bogus purchases - addition to 20% of the purchases as profit earned by the assessee on these purchases by CIT-A - HELD THAT:- The purchases and sales were within the walled city of Delhi where the transportation is by manual driven cans and the charges for the same are debited under the head cartage. Further when sales are accepted as genuine, then definitely the transactions have occurred and movements of goods have taken place. It is also not the case of the CIT(A) that transactions has not happened. Thus transportation on such facts cannot be a basis to draw adverse inference against the assessee. CIT(A) has upheld the allegation of the Assessing officer of the bogus purchases by making an observation that the appellant's dealing with these parties is not free from any doubt. It is a settled law that doubt cannot be a basis for sustaining the allegation. On the contrary the assessee had lead sufficient evidences in support of its purchases which the Assessing Officer in my view has not been able to rebut. Accordingly in the facts and circumstances of the case it cannot be said that the purchases made by the assessee are bogus. As regards the addition of sustained by the CIT(A)since purchases are not bogus, the addition on this account cannot be sustained. Even otherwise the addition of 20% on the facts and circumstances is apparently too high. Once the purchases are held to be bogus then the trading result declared by the assessee cannot be accepted and right course in such case is to reject books of accounts and profit has to be estimated by applying a comparative profit rate in the same trade. Though there can be a little guess work in estimating profit rate but such profit rate cannot be punitive. - Decided in favour of assessee.
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