Mumbai, Feb 12: The Income Tax department's Criminal Investigation wing has identified 2,000 Indian citizens who hold properties in Dubai but had failed to declare it in their IT returns.
In its ongoing crackdown on black money, the agency has identified Indian citizens who purchased properties in Dubai but failed to declare and explain the source of funds used to purchase these properties.
In the past few years, people have used shell companies to route illegal money and buy overseas properties to evade income tax.
However, the tax department has now increased its efforts to track down those involved in major tax evasion cases.
The 2,000 persons and companies identified mainly include businessmen, top professionals, and government officials.
The IT department will initiate action against the accused under the Black Money Act.
Citizens who own properties outside the country but fail to declare the source of funds or income used for the purchase could be prosecuted under the Black Money Act.
Under Section FA (Foreign Assets) of the Income Tax Act, an individual has to declare purchase and ownership of properties, assets, companies owned outside the country while filing the income tax returns annually.
In the recent drive against black money, the IT department identified 2,000 Indian nationals who failed to provide information on the same while filing IT returns.
Of the 2,000 citizens owning properties in Dubai, around 600 could not furnish details regarding purchase details.
Those who haven't been able to explain the source of funds used for the purchase of properties could be prosecuted and their properties can be attached by the agency.
Other than the attachment of the property, they can face a monetary penalty up to 300 per cent of the property value and also face imprisonment under the Black Money Act.
The properties owned by Indians in Dubai raised red flags as this pattern of parking money is used by money launderers, smugglers, underworld gangsters and drug traffickers for making payments.
It is worth mentioning that of the 2,000 citizens identified, most are residing in Mumbai, followed by Kerala and Gujarat.
The clause under section FA (foreign Assets) came into effect in the year 2011-12 and it is mandatory for people owning properties outside India to declare it in their IT returns.
Those identified by IT department could also face action under FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) by the Enforcement Directorate under Section 4.
Recently the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a crackdown on black money parked overseas by tracking and identifying immovable assets bought overseas by Indian nationals illegally.
The move is being carried out under rules laid down under Section 4 of FEMA (Foregn Exchange Manipulation Act), 1999. Section 4 of FEMA states that no person resident in India shall acquire, hold, own, possess or transfer any foreign exchange, foreign security or any immovable property situated outside India.
On January 17, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the residence of a former chief engineer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in connection with an inquiry related to FEMA.
In the raids, the ED officials recovered documents related to the purchase of a property in Dubai in an allegedly illegal manner.
The ex-BMC chief engineer was posted with some of the most crucial wings of the municipal corporation -- the building proposal department and development plan department.
The agency did not disclose the name of the ex-BMC chief engineer but it has been learnt that he had superannuated around seven years ago from the municipal corporation.
ED, in a statement, said incriminating documents with regard to illegal acquisition of a property held in Dubai was recovered during the search operation.
The former BMC chief engineer has stated that he had purchased the property in Dubai at 'Park Island, Bonaire Marsa, Dubai' for Rs 70 lakh in 2012. The property is held jointly in his name, his spouse and son.
The retired BMC officials could not furnish any documents which would help ascertain the value of the property and also could not provide details on how the payments were made to buy the property in Dubai.
The citizens identified by the IT department recently also adopted a similar route to buy property in Delhi. It remains to be seen how the income tax department plans to penalise them.
Comments
And yes if she does not care for her fathers matyrdom we do,jai hind,,may his soul rest in peace
Hahaha these low life idiots like kaur are uniting long lost brotherhood of india,,,there is no turning bak now,,,,they are gowing to get kickd now,,,aisa paisa cpim mao bao and congis and kujlis also...
A triple hundred by anybody is also a triple hundred ... it is cricket that has gained...kind of bowling also matters...I suppose.
Is it right to hate the sinner OR it is fair to hate sin?
Guys,
Ignore the politics and just imagine if this was your own sister who is threatened to be RAPED by whoever...
Would you all still comment the same ?????
This how well our politician have managed to kill the humanity in our country....
Shehwad is stupid!
PEOPLE DIDN'T MAKE MODI AS PM. VOTING MACHINE MAKE MODI AS PM
Mr. Modi scream louder Beti bachaaao , Bakths didnt here
okay mini pakistani ... we will do ... papa .. ninna kashta artha agatte .. India will stop war cry .. ask ur ummah and chummah gang members in pak to leave kashmir ... note this there will not be no peace in pak... ful of blood shed ... it will be nonstop ... unless and untill they back out from kashmir ... hogappa ninna kula bandhavarige helu ... hogtha chaddi haakondu hogu ... yaake andre chaddi haako danne maretirbeku ... rss chaddi galanna hate madlikke suru maadidmele:) ... adu alde 4 optiosn irbekadru chaddi haakakkadru time sigatha ? hahahaha
You Stalinist dictators doesn't allow Freedom of Expression to others in WB and Kerala and kill the opponents. You were against Baba Ramdev in JNU and Sub Swamy in DU. If you want so much peace why don't you preach your mosquitoes in Bastar who wants Azadi by Guns and Jihadist in Kashmir who did genocide of Pandits.
Lefty goondas are now being paid in the same coin. AS YOU SOW SO SHALL YOU REAP
Brother....Kargil war was not necessary. ..it forced on India by Pakistan. ..it is wrong to say that war killed those soldier ...actually Pakistan not only killed Indian soldier but also Pakistani soldier too by waging a war which was not required. ..hats off to Sehwag to bring out right logical view
U chaddis as usual.see anti nationalism...in every thing ..she wasn't supporting Pak.she was saying it's the violence that took away her dad..y don't we try for peace and stop the war that end up n losing many dad's of many children ..that's it
Viru should confine himself to what he knows best & not take sides with politicians. He is a simple minded person who doesn't know the crookedness of political goons occupying position of power. Don't allow yourself to be used by these hooligans and repent later as a disillusioned being
What a stupid logic. By this logic stones are responsible pellters are not.Grow up
Your father was a proud soldier and he martyred fighting with Pakistan. Your logics are badly ill.
Add new comment