Officials of the air intelligence unit at Delhi’s IGI Airport recently identified a traveler suspected to be carrying huge cash in his baggage. But before the suspect could be detained, he had boarded the aircraft for Hyderabad. All that the airline staff could divulge about the traveller were his initials and mobile number.
The number was soon flashed to the headquarters of the Central Information Bureau (CIB) of the I-T department in Delhi. What happened thereafter is a startling example of how 360-degree profiling, a new cutting-edge database that synergizes with various agencies and service providers, is being used to nab income tax evaders.
Within seconds of receiving the suspect’s number, officials put it into their 360-degree data bank. It turned out to be that of a leading Delhi based industrialist. In the next few minutes, sleuths had been dispatched to all business and residential premises of the accused. By the time the suspect landed at Hyderabad in a few hours’ time, he was detained with the cash and confronted with all transactions made by him, his staff and family members in the past year.
Stunned by the extent of information officials had about his itinerary, contacts and transactions, the industrialist broke down and disclosed the source of the black money. He said it was meant to buy a property in Hyderabad.
Now increasingly being used by intelligence and enforcement agencies, 360-degree profiles have turned out to be one of the most potent tools in creating forensic evidence against an offender providing minute-to-minute details of the movements of the accused. The details include all the people the target had spoken to, met, how much he spent with credit cards, where he was at a particular time, in which hotel did he check into and had how many visitors he entertained etc. These profiles have been constructed on thousands of individuals and companies whose meteoric rise and flamboyance paint a suspicious picture around them. The I-T department already has financial details of these individuals and their front entities and family members. The profiles are constantly updated by sleuths based on analysis of annual information reports and other financial data received from several institutions, banks, intelligence agencies, hotels and tour and travel operators.
360° Profiling to check evaders
Q. What’s 360° profiling?
A. It’s a database of suspected money launderers, criminals and corrupt officials that tracks their activities and transactions in minute detail through synergy with various agencies and service providers
Q. How does it map suspects?
A. Through their mobile conversations, credit card use, bank statements, travel tickets, hotel bills, real estate deals. Any transaction where PAN card is used eventually shows up in suspect’s profile
Q. Has it helped recover cash?
A. Yes. A woman using three PANs was mapped and investigated last year. Within few days, her links with a leading real estate firm were established and she had to disclose hidden income of nearly Rs 100 crore Rs 40 crore recovered from Delhi-based stockbroker on tipoff based on demat transactions Rs 30 cr tax paid by a Delhi family on real estate deals they had made worth Rs 100 cr
Q. Who’s under watch?
A. Some of the country’s leading bureaucrats, politicians, journalists, lawyers and judges, industrialists and corporate houses.
Till date there is no tax exemption for Knee replacement surgery for any tax payers or his family members. As a matter of fact it requires about 3 to 4 lacks for hospitalisation.
Why Income tax dept should think about this exemtion.
Thanks