The income tax department has discovered a scam that consists of the bogus use of permanent account numbers (PAN) to claim house rent allowance (HRA) without actual tenancy.
Till now approximately 8,000-10,000 high-value matters, each concerning amounts surpassing Rs 10 lakh, have been recognized. From the examination of the alleged rent receipts totalling nearly Rs 1 cr attributed to the person, the investigation takes place.
Discovering the Deception
During the interrogation, the person connected with the permanent account numbers (PAN) linked to the said rental income denied any transactions. Other investigation shows that the individual has not obtained the reported rent payments ever.
PANs are Widely Misused
As per the case, a probe shows the overall misuse of PANs via unscrupulous individuals asking for tax deductions from their employers. Some situations take place in which various employees from identical companies use the same PANs to claim the tax. The tax authorities are asking such employees to recover the misappropriated tax amounts.
Implications for the Law and Prevention
Against the offenders, the legal action remains unsure, and tax experts warn about the penalties and prosecution for bogus activities. To avert such misuse, financial transactions, specifically rent payments, must be traceable and clear, preferably via electronic means. Strict verification procedures need to be undertaken by the employers to avert the bogus claims and to ensure compliance with the tax norms.
Developing Expert Knowledge and Assuming Employer Responsibilities
The liability is majorly of the employee but the employers are needed to practice the due diligence to validate the claims of HRA, as per the tax advisory. Employers who don’t properly verify their employees risk damaging their reputation and allowing fraudulent activity to occur. Employers need to have reliable verification procedures in place to prevent these issues.
As per the case the crucial vigilance as well as compliance in the financial transactions, specifically in the realm of taxation to avert and penalize the bogus activities.
