2017 (8) TMI 250 - HC - Income Tax

Additions u/s 68 - statements made by the assessee's Directors in the course of search under Section 132 - Held that:- The statement of Director cannot be used against the assessee because:

(i) His statement was recorded behind the back of the assessee and the assessee was not allowed any opportunity to cross-examine him.

(ii) There is no corroborative evidence in support of the statement of Shri Tarun Goyal. On the other hand, the material found during the course of search and other evidences placed on record by the assessee are contrary to the allegation made by Shri Tarun Goyal in his statement.”in favour of the Assessee and against the Revenue by holding that the additions made under Section 68 of the Act on account of the statements made by the Assessee's Directors in the course of search under Section 132 of the Act were rightly deleted by the ITAT.

Assessment u/s 153A - Held that:- The statements of Mr. Anu Aggarwal, portions of which have been extracted hereinbefore, make it plain that the surrender of the sum of ₹ 8 crores was only for the AY in question and not for each of the six AYs preceding the year of search. Secondly, when Mr. Anu Aggarwal was confronted with A- 1, A-4 and A-11 he explained that these documents did not pertain to any undisclosed income and had, in fact been accounted for. Even these, therefore, could not be said to be incriminating material qua each of the preceding AYs.

ITAT was fully justified in concluding that the assumption of jurisdiction under Section 153A of the Act qua the Assessees herein was not justified in law. The question framed is answered in the affirmative i.e. in favour of the Assessee and against the Revenue by holding that having regard to the materials seized in the course of search under Section 132 and the statements made on behalf of the Assessee, the assumption of jurisdiction under Section 153 A of the Act and the consequent additions made by the AO were not justified.

Assessee appeal allowed.