67. Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized by reason of fraud or any willful-misstatement or suppression of facts
(1) Where any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilized by reason of fraud, or any willful-misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, the proper officer shall serve notice on the person chargeable with tax which has not been so paid or which has been so short paid or to whom the refund has erroneously been made, or who has wrongly availed or utilized input tax credit requiring him to show cause why he should not pay the amount specified in the notice along with interest payable thereon under section 45 and a penalty equivalent to the tax specified in the notice.
(2) The proper officer shall issue the notice under sub-section (1) at least six months prior to the time limit specified in sub-section (8) for issuance of order.
(3) Where a notice has been issued for any period under sub-section (1), the proper officer may serve a statement, containing the details of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized for such periods other than those covered under sub-section (1), on the person chargeable with tax. The service of such statement shall be deemed to be service of notice on such person under the sub-section (1), subject to the condition that the grounds relied upon for such periods other than those covered under sub-section (1) are the same as are mentioned in the earlier notice.
(4) The person chargeable with tax may, before service of notice under sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (3), pay the amount of tax along with interest payable under section 45 and a penalty equivalent to fifteen per cent of such tax on the basis of his own ascertainment of such tax or the tax as ascertained by the proper officer and inform the proper officer in writing of such payment. The proper officer, on receipt of such information, shall not serve any notice under sub-section (1) or, as the case may be, the statement under sub-section (3), in respect of the tax so paid or any penalty leviable under the provisions of this Act or the rules made there under.
(5) Where the proper officer is of the opinion that the amount paid under sub-section (4) falls short of the amount actually payable, he shall proceed to issue the notice as provided for in sub-section (1) in respect of such amount which falls short of the amount actually payable.
(6) Where any person chargeable with tax under sub-section (1) or under subsection (3) pays the said tax along with interest payable under section 45 and a penalty equivalent to twenty five per cent of such tax within thirty days of issue of the notice, all proceedings in respect of the said notice shall be deemed to be concluded.
(7) The proper officer shall, after considering the representation, if any, made by the person chargeable with tax, determine the amount of tax, interest and penalty due from such person and issue an order.
(8) The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (7) within a period of five years from the due date for filing of annual return for the year to which the tax not paid or short paid or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized relates or, as the case may be, within five years from the date of erroneous refund.
(9) Where any person served with an order issued under sub-section (7) pays the tax along with interest payable thereon under section 45 and a penalty equivalent to fifty percent of such tax within thirty days of the communication of order, all proceedings in respect of the said tax shall be deemed to be concluded.
Explanation. - The expression “suppression” shall mean non-declaration of facts or information which a taxable person is statutorily required to declare in the return, statement, report or any other document furnished under the Act or the rules made thereunder, or failure to furnish any information on being asked for, in writing, by the proper officer.
