Legal Case Summary

Case Details
Case ID 0bef3496-fc2f-4d40-878e-d6ea0e58fe8d
Body View case body.
Case Number IT REFERENCE NO. 94 OF 1987
Decision Date Sep 27, 2006
Hearing Date
Decision The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, Sunam Rice & Dal Mills, regarding the unexplained cash amount of Rs. 1,10,000 that was recorded as a cheque encashment from Punjab National Bank. The court found that the Assessing Officer's conclusion that the amount represented undisclosed income was incorrect. The court noted that the bank manager testified that he exercised discretion in making the payment after hours on November 9, 1973, and that the cheque was backdated to November 12, 1973, due to banking procedures. The court upheld the findings of the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) and reversed the Tribunal's decision to sustain the addition of the unexplained money to the income of the assessee.
Summary In the landmark case of Sunam Rice & Dal Mills v. Commissioner of Income-tax, the Punjab and Haryana High Court addressed significant issues regarding unexplained money under Section 69A of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The case revolved around an amount of Rs. 1,10,000 introduced into the books of account by the petitioner, claimed to be a cheque encashment from Punjab National Bank. The Assessing Officer had initially rejected the petitioner's explanation, suspecting the funds to be undeclared income. However, upon appeal, the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) found merit in the petitioner's claims, supported by testimonies from bank officials. The Tribunal's decision to reinstate the Assessing Officer's findings was overturned by the High Court, which emphasized the importance of the bank manager's discretionary actions and corroborative evidence. This case highlights the judicial interpretation of financial transactions and the importance of proper documentation and testimony in tax-related disputes. The ruling serves as a precedent for similar cases involving unexplained funds and reinforces the necessity for thorough examination of evidence in tax assessments.
Court Punjab and Haryana High Court
Entities Involved Commissioner of Income-tax, Sunam Rice & Dal Mills, Punjab National Bank
Judges ADARSH KUMAR GOEL, RAJESH BINDAL
Lawyers K.L. Goyal, Dr. N.L. Sharda
Petitioners Sunam Rice & Dal Mills
Respondents Commissioner of Income-tax
Citations 2008 SLD 2412, (2008) 304 ITR 189, (2009) 177 TAXMAN 353
Other Citations Not available
Laws Involved Income-tax Act, 1961
Sections 69A