The Supreme court has directed the Union ministry of finance to reconsider grievance of a person, who was not given the reward for informing about tax evasion by a company called ANI Media.
According to Live Law, the petitioner claimed that he was not appropriately rewarded by the authorities for informing them about service tax evasion of Rs 2.59 crore by ANI.
As per the Income Tax department’s reward scheme, a person can get reward up to Rs. 5 crore by giving specific information about evasion of Income tax on income and assets in India and abroad. ‘Identity of the informant shall be kept confidential.’
The petitioner said that the ANI voluntarily paid the taxes after he provided the information. He was only Rs 5.5 lakh by the department, though the policy makes him entitled for 20% of the total evaded tax in rewards.
The Supreme Court said that the I-T department ‘did not properly apply its mind’ while deciding the reward entitlement of the petitioner. It further directed the reward commission to take a fresh decision within six months.
It is noteworthy to mention that the company is not the same as news agency Asian News International (ANI) Media Private Limited.
