IT dept to scrutinise high value transactions, penny stock trade

Income Tax Department has asked its top officers to closely scrutinise high-value transactions and investments in penny stocks to identify potential black money holders who can avail the four-month compliance window ending September 30 to come clean.

In a communication to Principal Chief Commissioners in 18 regions across the country, the department has asked officers to look into Annual Information Returns (AIR), which do not contain valid PANs.

The database for 'Non-PAN AIR transactions' has already been disseminated to Principal Chief Commissioners based on the regions.

It has also made available list of cases related to penny stock transactions for Assessment Year 2009-10 to 2013-14 for identifying potential black money holders.

The department has also asked the officials to share data on penny stock transactions with field formations.

Principal Chief Commissioners have also been asked to scrutinise "non-filers" and those who have not submitted their response to the tax authorities about non-filing of returns.

The department, the communication said, is also developing a new functionality on e-filing portal, which will force the tax payers to own up non-PAN transactions.

According to sources there are around 60 lakh high value AIR transactions without PANs which can be mined through online tracking systems.

The Budget for 2016-17 announced a four-month compliance window, allowing domestic black money holders to declare their unaccounted wealth, by paying a tax and penalty of 45 per cent and escape prosecution and harsher punishment.

The window under the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) 2016 will remain open from June 1 to September 30. Tax and penalty on income declared, as per the original scheme, is to be paid by November.