Manali dhaba owner gets Rs 2.39 cr tax notice

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, September 22

The Income Tax Department has issued a demand notice for over Rs 2.39 crore to a petty dhaba owner of Manali. Information gathered by the Tribune reveals that Ram Dassi, a Nepalese woman who runs a small dhaba on the highway near Manali, was served a demand notice for Rs 2,39,70,667 online on September 13.

Ram Dassi’s case was picked up for complete scrutiny under the much-publicised Faceless Assessment Scheme of the IT Department launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020. The copy of the assessment order along with the demand notice issued by the National Faceless Assessment Centre (NFAC) is in the possession of The Tribune.

Interestingly, Ram Dassi had declared an income of Rs 4.30 lakh for the assessment year 2020-21, which was later increased to Rs 12,65,709 by the NFAC. On the assessed income of Rs 12,65,709, a tax of Rs 203,886 was calculated. However, the NFAC has charged an interest of Rs 2,37,85,641 on this amount under Section 234 C of the Income Tax Act 1961 without assigning any specific reason.

Ram Dassi told The Tribune that she received an SMS on September 13. She contacted her CA, who accessed the Income Tax portal and noticed that a tax of Rs 2,39,70,667 has been imposed on her.

A senior department officer in Chandigarh said it seems to be a case of negligence and he would take up the matter with the NFAC in Delhi.

How it happened

• Ram Dassi had declared an income of Rs 4.30 lakh for the assessment year 2020-21, which was later increased to Rs 12,65,709 by the department
• On the income, a tax of Rs 203,886 was calculated.
• However, the department has charged an interest of Rs 2,37,85,641 without assigning any reason