Money-laundering law: Rigorous jail, hefty fines await tax offenders

May 14, 2012

paisa

New Delhi, May 14: Tax evaders could be in for trouble as the government is mulling placing tax crimes on a par with money laundering offences that have severe criminal and financial implications.

India could bring income-tax offences under its anti-money laundering law, making way for easier prosecution, rigorous imprisonment, fines and shifting onus on the accused to prove he is not guilty.

"An inter-departmental group has been set up to examine the changes required," a senior finance ministry official told ET.

The group's recommendations could then be placed before Parliament and changes made to the Prevention of Money Laundering (amendment) Bill, 2011.

The offences will include concealment of income, failure to deposit tax deducted at source and false evidence.

These changes are consistent with a global plan drawn up by the Finance Action Task Force, an inter-governmental body to combat money laundering and terror financing, of which India is a member.

Many countries have already incorporated these offences in their money laundering laws even though the FATF adopted them as part of new standards in February this year.

If these offences become scheduled offences under the anti-money laundering law, they will attract rigorous imprisonment of three to seven years and a fine of up to 5 lakh. A proposed amendment to PMLA has suggested open-ended penalty, to be decided by courts, as opposed to a maximum of 5 lakh fine now.

The trial in these cases will be faster as offences under PMLA are tried in special courts and the onus to prove innocence lies on the accused.

Sunil Jain, partner with J Sagar Associates, feels these may act as a deterrent

"Tax authorities already have many tough options and not all of them are used so we do not need any more onerous provisions, particularly in the case of residents," he said.

The apex direct taxes body, the Central Board of Direct Taxes, had earlier written to the revenue department, the nodal department for PMLA, to bring some tax evasion offences under its ambit.

However, the suggestion made two years back was put on the back burner since there was no compulsion on India to bring them under the PMLA.

India, which became a member of the FATF in 2010, is obliged to make changes in its own anti-money laundering law now.

Under the current rules, the income tax department has to take law ministry's permission to initiate prosecution against tax evaders. The cumbersome procedure has meant that so far no evader has been put behind the bars although there is a provision for six months imprisonment and penalty on tax evasion.

The tax authorities prefer not to invoke these provisions as prosecution could take many years.

Significant changes have already been made through the Finance Bill, 2012, passed by the Lok Sabha on May 8 that will allow for easier prosecution.

India has submitted a detailed action plan that lists various short-term, medium-term and long-term measures required to conform to FATF standards and some of the amendments proposed in the PMLA Bill are in line with these commitments.

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News Network
July 12,2020

Hyderabad, Jul 12: Hyderabad MP and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the demolition of a mosque and a temple inside the Secretariat building. He demanded the arrest of the contractor for demolition.
"During the process of demolition of the Secretariat building in Telangana, the mosque and temple were also demolished. The contractor must be booked and should be arrested. The public should know that we condemn this," he said while speaking to news agency.
Pointing out that his party MLAs Akbaruddin Owaisi and Moazam Khan have urged the state Assembly to look into the matter, he added, "We are not against the building of a new Secretariat, but what we asked for is not to destroy these structures during the process."
He welcomed the Chief Minister's announcement regarding the rebuilding of these structures.
"We expect the mosque to be built in the exact same place where it once stood. We expect the Chief Minister to speak to the representatives and meet our expectations and emotions about the mosque," he added.

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Agencies
May 18,2020

India is among 58 nations, including 27 European Union members, who have moved a draft resolution demanding evaluation of the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s response towards the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The European Union-led draft resolution on global COVID-19 response is set to be tabled at the upcoming World Health Assembly on Monday.

The draft resolution demands initiation "at the earliest appropriate moment to review experience gained and lessons learned from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19".

"We are deeply concerned by the morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19 pandemic, the negative impacts on physical and mental health and social well-being, the negative impacts on economy and society and the consequent exacerbation of inequalities within and between countries," read the draft.

"We express solidarity to all countries affected by the pandemic, as well as condolences and sympathy to all the families of the victims of COVID-19," it added.

The resolution says timelines are to be evaluated regarding "recommendations the WHO made to improve global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacity".

The WHO on January 23 declare a global health emergency, but did not declare it and waited for a week for its director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to return from China.

By that time, COVID-19 cases increased 10 times and the virus entered 18 countries.

According to Health Policy Watch, till as late as February, the WHO did not support countries for imposing travel restrictions to China.

"When countries began evacuating their citizens from Wuhan, the COVID-19 epicentre, the WHO said it did not favour this step".

The WHO finally declared it a pandemic on March 11.

The global health body has come under criticism not just from the US for its response being "China-centric".

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News Network
June 10,2020

Patna, Jun 10: A man in Bihar has willed half his property to two elephants after one of them foiled an attempt on his life by a pistol-totting criminal.

Akhtar Imam, chief manager of the Asian Elephant Rehabilitation and Wildlife Animal Trust (AERAWAT), said he has been looking after elephants since the age of 12.

"Once, there was an attempt of murder made against me. At that time the elephants saved me. When some miscreants armed with pistols tried to enter my room my elephant started trumpeting. It woke me up and I was able to shout and raise an alarm due to which the miscreants ran away," Imam said.

Imam says the two elephants, named Moti and Rani are like family for him and he cannot live without them.

However, the man claims that he fears threats to his life from his family members after he transferred his land to his two elephants. Imam's wife and sons have been living away from him for the last 10 years due to some dispute in the family.

He recounted that his son had allegedly filed a wrong case against him and also got him locked up. He eventually was let away after the charges levelled against him were proven wrong.

Imam said that his son Meraj had tried to sell the elephant to smugglers but was fortunately caught.

Imam says he has willed half of his property to his wife and his share of property worth Rs 5 crore to elephants said that if the jumbos die then the money would go to AERAWAT organisation.

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