IT Department action against Employees on illegally using PAN for Bogus HRA Claim
The Income Tax Department discovered a fraudulent scheme involving the use of Permanent Account Numbers (PANs) to falsely claim Housing Rent Allowance. This discovery has identified between 8,000 to 10,000 high-value cases totalling at least Rs. 10 lakh.
The investigation began when officials discovered suspected rent receipts of over Rs.1 crore linked to a single individual, raising concerns. However, when questioned, the person linked with the PAN for these transactions denied any involvement or knowledge of the alleged rental revenue.
Further investigation revealed that the individual in question had not received the recorded rent amount in their name. More investigation uncovered a pattern in which PANs were fraudulently utilized to gain tax deductions from employers.
Notably, inspectors have observed situations in which many employees from the same companies claimed tax deductions using the same PAN.
Income tax officials are vigorously investigating those who filed bogus claims to recover unpaid taxes. It is questionable whether legal action will be taken against these individuals. This case demonstrates a common misuse of PANs without the holder’s knowledge.
The complexities increase as Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) is now only applied to monthly rents exceeding Rs.50,000 or annual payments surpassing Rs.6 lakh.
Income tax officials highlighted that PAN fraud may be identified by utilizing modern technologies, automated processes, and data analytics. In addition to delayed tax payments, offenders may face penalties, penal interest, and, in severe circumstances, prosecution. To prevent such abuses, renters who pay their parents must declare their rental income and choose checks or electronic transfers over cash payments.
Employers are reminded of their responsibility of validating rent payments for HRA exemptions, since failing to do so may result in repercussions. In some cases, employers have rules in place to terminate employees who submit fraudulent claims for benefits such as HRA or Leave Travel Allowance (LTA).
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