Gokarna temple gets Rs 1.38 crore I-T demand notice

The Income Tax department has sent a notice to the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar temple management, asking it to pay Rs 1,38,20,160 as tax for a financial transaction happened in the past.

The management committee, now the oversight committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice B N Srikrishna, in a meeting on Monday resolved to appoint auditors to look into financial transactions of the temple management since 2008.

Based on the auditors’ report, the committee will determine the next course of action, assistant commissioner of Kumta Kalyani Kamble, also the secretary of the oversight committee, told DH.

In 2015-16, Ramachandrapur Mutt used to run the affairs of Gokarna temple. During the said period, lapses were found in a financial transaction. The Supreme Court, on April 19, 2021, handed over the management of the temple to an oversight committee headed by Justice B N Srikrishna.

The I-T department has sent a demand notice of Rs 1.38 crore for the said financial discrepancy. The current management will have to pay the I-T department Rs 27.65 lakh on immediate basis, if it is to proceed any further in the matter.