Undisclosed income is the income which the assessee has not shown in his Income Tax Return and thereby not paid income tax on it. The primary objective of the Income tax department is to detect such undisclosed income and bring the same under the tax net.
If the Assessing Officer detects cash credits, unexplained investments, unexplained expenditure etc., the source for which is not satisfactorily explained by the assessee to him, there are various provisions in the Income Tax Act which empowers the assessing officer to charge tax on such amount.
In this article we will briefly discuss those provisions. So let’s get started-
1. Cash Credits [Section 68]– Where any sum is found credited in the books of the assessee and the assessee offers no explanation about the nature and source or the explanation offered is not satisfactory in the opinion of the Assessing Officer, the sum so credited may be charged as income of the assessee of that previous year.
2. Unexplained Investments [Section 69]– Where the assessee has made investments which are not recorded in the books of account and the assessee offers no explanation about the nature and the source of investments or the explanation offered is not satisfactory, the value of the investments shall be taxed as income of the assessee for such financial year.
3. Unexplained money etc. [Section 69A] – Where in any financial year the assessee is found to be the owner of any money, bullion, jewellery or other valuable article and the same is not recorded in the books of account and the assessee offers no explanation about the nature and source of acquisition of such money, bullion etc. or the explanation offered is not satisfactory, the money and the value of bullion etc. may be deemed to be the income of the assessee for such financial year. Ownership is important and mere possession is not enough.
4. Amount of investments etc., not fully disclosed in the books of account [Section 69B]– Where in any financial year the assessee has made investments or is found to be the owner of any bullion, jewellery or other valuable article and the Assessing Officer finds that the amount spent on making such investments or in acquiring such articles exceeds the amount recorded in the books of account maintained by the assessee and he offers no explanation for the difference or the explanation offered is unsatisfactory, such excess may be deemed to be the income of the assessee for such financial year.
5. Unexplained expenditure [Section 69C]– Where in any financial year an assessee has incurred any expenditure and he offers no explanation about the source of such expenditure or the explanation is unsatisfactory the Assessing Officer can treat such unexplained expenditure as the income of the assessee for such financial year. Such unexplained expenditure which is deemed to be the income of the assessee shall not be allowed as deduction under any head of income.
6. Amount borrowed or repaid on hundi [Section 69D]– Where any amount is borrowed on a hundi or any amount due thereon is repaid other than through an account-payee cheque drawn on a bank, the amount so borrowed or repaid shall be deemed to be the income of the person borrowing or repaying for the previous year in which the amount was borrowed or repaid, as the case may be. However, where any amount borrowed on a hundi has been deemed to be the income of any person, he will not be again liable to be assessed in respect of such amount on repayment of such amount. The amount repaid shall include interest paid on the amount borrowed
Unexplained money, investments etc. to attract tax @60% [Section 115BBE]
1. Unexplained money, investment, expenditure, etc. deemed as income under section 68 or section 69 or section 69A or section 69B or section 69C or section 69D would be taxed at the rate of 60% plus surcharge @25% of tax. Thus, the effective rate of tax (including surcharge@25% of tax and cess@3% of tax and surcharge) is 77.25%.
2. No basic exemption or allowance or expenditure shall be allowed to the assessee under any provision of the Income-tax Act, 1961 in computing such deemed income.
3. Further, no set off of any loss shall be allowable against income brought to tax under sections 68 or section 69 or section 69A or section 69B or section 69C or section 69D.
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