Income Tax Department conducts searches

NEW DELHI: The Income Tax Department has carried out searches on a group engaged in the business of real estate, housing, hospitality and retail liquor trade in Haryana, an official statement said on Thursday.

The search operation on Wednesday was carried out at 12 different premises located in Samalkha, Gurugram, Rohtak and Panchkula and followed non-compliance to faceless assessment scrutiny notices selected and issued through a computerised system.

Notices under the Faceless Assessment Scheme sent to certain assessees were consistently not complied with even though received by them, the Income Tax Department said in a statement.

Data analytics revealed that the recipients were persons of no/low means, while subsequent internal and discreet enquiries revealed that they were the front for the group and were also the 'benamidars' of some of the group members, the statement said.

Further enquiries brought out that that the persons to whom the notices were issued were engaged in the liquor business run by the group but have stated on oath that they have no knowledge of the business being run in their names, it said.

"It seems that their names have been misused to avail the quota reserved for SC/ST section. Further investigation is on to establish the money trail and real ownership. Suitable action under Benami Prohibition Act will be taken in all such cases," the statement said. (IANS)

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