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2019 (1) TMI 874 - AT - Income TaxAssessment u/s 153A - incriminating material found during the course of search and seizure - addition u/s 68 and 14A - non providing opportunity to cross-examine - Held that:- In the case on hand, the assessee filed its original return of income on 31/08/2008. The time limit for issual of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act, was 30/09/2009. The search and seizure operation was conducted in this case on 18/02/2013. The statutory period for issual of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act, in the case of the Assessment Years had expired prior to the date of search operation. Hence the assessment for the impugned Assessment Year has not abated. Thus the additions in question are not based on any incriminating material found during the course of search. On the legal position we find that the only addition made is of share application received u/s 68 of the Act and addition of commission paid allegedly for the share application money and finally a disallowance u/s 14A of the Act. No incriminating material has been found during the course of search. The alleged statements recorded from entry operators have admittedly been retracted and the Assessing Officer has not based the additions on these statements. When copies of the alleged statements recorded by the revenue officials have not been given to the assessee, no addition can be made based on such evidence which is not confronted to the assessee. The contents of the statements are also not brought out in detail in the assessment order. Only a general reference is made that there were certain statements recorded from various entry operators by the investigation wing. No addition can be made on such general observations. We also find that the assessee has not been given an opportunity to cross-examine any of these persons, based on whose statements, the revenue claims to have made these additions. Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Kishinchand Chellaram vs. CIT(1980 (9) TMI 3 - SUPREME COURT) had held that opportunity of cross-examination must be provided to the assessee. Coming to the alleged cash trail, none of the material gathered by the Assessing Officer by way of bank account copies of various companies supposed to be a chain was given/confronted to the assessee. The alleged statements were supposedly recorded from directors of these companies which formed this alleged chain are also not brought on record. Only a general statement has been made that the investigation wing had recorded some statements. There is no evidence whatsoever that cash has been routed from the assessee company or that any cash was deposited by the assessee company. There is no material whatsoever brought on record to demonstrate that the alleged cash deposit made in the bank account of a third party was from the assessee company. No opportunity to cross-examine any these parties was provided to the assessee. - Decided in favour of assessee.
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