I-T Dept refuses details on exemption claimed by dera

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Hisar, October 10

The Income Tax Department has refused to part with information regarding tax exemption to societies related to the Dera Sacha Sauda under the RTI Act. The department termed it as third party information.

However, the department had furnished similar information sought by an RTI activist in 2013.

Ramesh Varma, an RTI activist, had sought information from the department in Hisar about the details of exemption in the income tax given to the dera and its related bodies in last three years.

Refusing to provide information, the department stated that the details sought were the third party information envisaged under Section 11 of the RTI Act. “Keeping in view the provisions under the Act, the sought information by the applicant related to the personal information and it has no relationship to larger public interest and thus, the same cannot be disclosed to the applicant,” replied the department.

Significantly, the department had furnished similar information in 2013 which revealed that the Dera Sacha Sauda, which claims to be a socio-spiritual organisation devoted to the welfare of mankind, had earned Rs 60 crore in 2012-13. Besides, three other affiliate branches of the dera, too, had made profit from its activities putting the total income at Rs 97.50 crore.

Varma said the dera had been claiming tax exemption under Sections 10 (23) and 11 of the Income Tax Act.

Dera Sacha Sauda on the Begu road, Sirsa, Shah Satnamji Research and Development Foundation in Nezia Khera village of Sirsa, Param Pita Shah Satnamji Education and Welfare Society and Shah Satnamji Green and Welfare Force Society in Sirsa had claimed exemption from the income tax, he added.

Varma, who had appealed to the first appellate authority, stated that since the dera firms had claimed exemption under the IT Act, this information should be made public by the Income Tax Department as per the provisions of the Section 4 A (B) of the RTI Act.

Substantial rise in dera income 

According to details, the Dera Sacha Sauda earned Rs 60,03,64,103 in 2012-13. It had earned Rs 46,75,51,288 and Rs 29,18,68,117 in 2011-12 and 2010-11, respectively. The figures revealed that the dera income grew more than 100 percent in two years.