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The Book Centre Ltd , Mumbai vs Assessee

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal24 March 2015

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

Under section 69C of the Income Tax Act, an addition for unexplained expenditure cannot be sustained where the assessee has offered an explanation for the expenditure; the question is whether that explanation is satisfactory, and where the explanation is supported by the bank statement reflecting the transactions, the bank's confirmation letter, and entries in the assessee's balance sheet for the year, the explanation is satisfactory and the addition must be deleted.

Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.

Judgment

As delivered

1 M/s The Book Centre Ltd ITA 4584/M/2012 Cross Objection 214/M/2014

आयकर अपीलीय अिधकरण "बी" यायपीठ मुब ं ई म। IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL MUMBAI BENCH "B", MUMBAI ी िवजय पाल राव, याियक सद य एवं ी एन. के . िबलै या, लेखा सद य के सम । BEFORE SHRI VIJAY PAL RAO, JUDICIAL MEMBER AND SHRI N K BILLAIYA, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER

ITA No. : 4584/Mum/2012 (Assessment year: 2006-07) Deputy Commissioner of Vs M/s The Book Centre Ltd, Income Tax -Cir 6(1), LIC Building, 1st Floor, Ranade Room No. 506, 5th Floor, Rod, Dadar (West), Aaykar Bhavan, M K Road, Mumbai -400 028 Mumbai -400 020 थयी लेखा सं.:PAN: AAACT 3729 L अपीलाथ (Appellant) यथ (Respondent) Appellant by : Shri N Padmanaban Respondent by : Shri Nishit Gandhi या ेप Cross Objection No. 214/Mum/2014 Arising out of ITA No. : 4584/Mum/2012, AY 2006-07 M/s The Book Centre Ltd, Vs Deputy Commissioner of LIC Building, 1st Floor, Ranade Income Tax -Cir 6(1), Rod, Dadar (West), Mumbai -400 020 Mumbai -400 028 या ेपक Cross Objector थ (Respondent) या ेपकAppellant Cross Objector by : Shri Nishit Gandhi Respondent by : Shri N Padmanaban

सुनवाई क तारीख /Date of Hearing : 24-03-2015 घोषणा क तारीख /Date of Pronouncement : 24-03-2015

आदेश ORDER ी एन. के . िबलै या, लेस: PER N K BILLAIYA, AM:

These are appeals by the revenue and Cross Objection by the assessee preferred against very same order of the CIT(A)-14, Mumbai, dated 24.04.2012 pertaining to AY 2006-07.

2. The sole grievance of the revenue is that the CIT(A) erred in deleting the addition of Rs. 30 lakhs on account of donation to Sunderdeep Education Society and Rs. 10 lakhs to Mogadevi Minda Charitable Trust.

2 M/s The Book Centre Ltd ITA 4584/M/2012 Cross Objection 214/M/2014

3. Briefly stated the fact of the case are that the return filed on 27.11.2006 declaring total income at Rs. 11,87,697/- which was processed and accepted u/s 143(1) of the Act on 24.03.2008. Subsequently, the AO received an information from additional CIT Range -2 Gaziabad stating that the assessee has paid donation of Rs. 30 lakhs to Sunderdeep Education Society. It was further found that the assessee has advanced an amount of Rs. 10 lakhs to Moga Devi Minda Charitable Trust, both these amounts were not found in P&L account, hence, the case of the assessee was reopened u/s 147 of the Act for verification. The assessee was asked to explain these transactions. It was explained by the assessee that the donation of Rs. 30 lakhs paid to Sunderdeep Education Society has been debited to Advance Account in the balance sheet. Similarly, Rs. 10 lakhs have also been shown under the head "loans and advances" in the balance sheet. The assessee filed related details and the bank statements to substantiate its claim. The AO observed that there appears to be no co-relations with the bank statement of the assessee, HDFC letter of confirmation and donation received. The AO formed a belief that the assessee has advanced money to the tune of Rs. 40 lakhs from unknown sources for which it has offered no explanation. Invoking the provisions of section 69C of the Act the AO made the addition of Rs. 40 lakhs.

4. Aggrieved by this, the assessee carried the matter before the CIT(A) and reiterated its claim once again filing the details in respect of bank account and confirmation from the bank.

5. After considering the facts and submissions and after duly verifying the entries from the bank statements, the CIT(A) deleted the addition of Rs. 40 lakhs. Aggrieved by this, the revenue is before us.

6. The DR strongly supported the findings of the AO, per contra, the Counsel for the assessee reiterated what has been 3 M/s The Book Centre Ltd ITA 4584/M/2012 Cross Objection 214/M/2014 submitted before the lower authorities. The Counsel also referred to the relevant documents placed in the paper book.

7. We have considered the rival submissions and accordingly perused the orders of the authorities below. The entire dispute revolves around whether the assessee has paid Rs. 40 lakhs i.e. Rs. 30 lacs to Sunderdeep Education Society and Rs. 10 lakhs to Moga Devi Minda Charitable Trust and whether these transactions are duly reflected in the books of accounts of the assessee to avoid rigors of the provisions of section 69C of the Act.

8. A perusal of the bank statement with HDFC bank clearly shows the entries of purchase of Demand Draft, the transactions are also confirmed by HDFC Bank. Let us consider these facts in the light of provisions of section 69C, which says that where in any financial year the assessee has incurred any expenditure for which he offers any explanation or the explanation offered by him is not satisfactory such amount may be treated as income of the assessee.

9. In the case in hand, it cannot be said that the assessee has offered no explanation. All that we have to see is whether the explanation of the assessee is satisfactory in the eyes of the law. We find that the explanation of the assessee is supported by the bank statement wherein the entries are reflected. We find that the explanation of the assessee is also supported by the bank confirmation letter. We also find the entries duly reflected in the balance sheet of the assessee for the year under consideration. Therefore, it cannot be said that the explanation of the assessee is not satisfactory. In our considered opinion, the CIT(A) has rightly deleted the additions, we therefore do not find any reason to interfere with the order of the CIT(A).

10. Appeal filed by the revenue stands dismissed.

11. With its Cross Objection, the assessee has challenged the validity of the assessment undertaken u/s 147 of the Act, although 4 M/s The Book Centre Ltd ITA 4584/M/2012 Cross Objection 214/M/2014 the Cross Objection is late by 442 days, since we have deleted the additions and dismissed revenue's appeal, issues raised by the assessee by its Cross Objections are only on academic interest.

12. In the result, appeal by the revenue is dismissed and Cross Objections of the assessee is treated as infructuous.

Order pronounced in the open court on 24th March, 2015.

Sd/- Sd/- (िवजय पाल राव) (एन. के . िबलै या) याईक सद य लेखा सद य (VIJAY PAL RAO) (N K BILLAIYA) JUDICIAL MEMBER ACCOUNTANT MEMBER

Mumbai, Date: 24th March, 2015

त/Copy to:-

1) अपीलाथ /The Appellant. 2) यथ /The Respondent. 3) The CIT(A) -14, Mumbai. 4) The CIT-6, Mumbai.

5) िवभागीय ितिनिध "बी", आयकर अपीलीय अिधकरण, मुंबई/ The D.R. "B" Bench, Mumbai.

6) गाड फाईल Copy to Guard File.

आदे शानस ु ार/By Order / / True Copy / /

उप/सहायक पंजीकार आयकर अपील य अ धकरण, मब ुं ई Dy./Asstt. Registrar I.T.A.T., Mumbai

*च हान व.िन.स *Chavan, Sr.PS

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