 "600 Jan Dhan accounts under Income Tax dept's lens in Bihar, Jharkhand")
A total of 600 Jan Dhan accounts which have money deposits on an average in between Rs 1 to Rs 3 lakh are being probed in Bihar and Jharkhand for naxal connection, Principal Director Income Tax (Investigation) Ashok Kumar Sinha told reporters.
He said the 600 accounts now have over Rs 10.8 crore deposits in the two states.
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Though he did not provide break-up of the accounts, he said majority of them are in Jharkhand.
Principal Chief Commissioner Income Tax (Bihar & Jharkhand) S T Ahmad said one such Jan Dhan account in Ara witnessed a deposit of Rs 40 lakh after demonetisation which has been freezed.
Ahmad, accompanied by other senior officials were interacting with mediapersons on launch of Taxation and Investment Regime for Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna, 2016 in the two states.
Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeal) Prashant Bhusan said that if naxal connection is established during probe of these 600 Jan Dhan accounts, the accounts would be freezed.
Subrat Sarkar, Commissioner IT (Exemption), said that the department has served notices to 150 society and trusts in Bihar and Jharkhand including some political parties, educational, religious and social trusts enjoying tax exemption under IT Act to probe if cash has flown there after recall of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes.
"We have asked for details from them about cash deposits from November 8 till December 30 when the demonetisation drive would end," Sarkar said.
(Reopens CAL 4)
Sarkar, however refused to disclose names of political parties or other organisations under the lens.
Giving details of action after demolition of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, the IT officials said a total of 16 searches have been conducted in the two states so far. In addition, 41 surveys have been conducted and over Rs 9.17 crore seized.
Total Rs 42.4 crore undisclosed income has been unearthed so far in the two states, Sinha said, adding jewellery worth Rs 7 lakh is among total seizure.
Ahmad said that the Income Tax department has referred 14 cases of money laundering in the two states, each to Enforcement Directorate and CBI.
He said that against a target of collecting Rs 10,854 crore by way of tax in Bihar and Jharkhand in the current financial year, a sum of Rs 6,609 crore has already been collected which is 15 per cent above the collection in the corresponding period last fiscal.