Income Tax Department launch prosecution in tax evasion cases in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The Income Tax Department, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry region has launched prosecution for failure to file returns in 191 cases, for tax evasion in 58 and 69 in respect of not remitting or deducting Tax Deducted at Source.

"As deterrence, the Income Tax Department has launched prosecution against defaulters for failure to file return of income in 191 cases," an official release here said.

The tax department said similarly, it has launched prosecution for evading tax and for failure to pay tax in 58 cases and for failure to deduct/remit taxes deducted at source properly in 69 cases.

Also, many such cases of default were being pursued and the department will be taking appropriate action as per law,the release said.

While pursuing recovery of outstanding tax, interest, and penalty, the department has taken strong action against defaulters by attaching properties in 98 cases.

Further steps were being taken to auction such properties wherever warranted, the release said.

To encourage voluntary compliance, the department has been sending communications to taxpayers who had filed returns earlier but defaulting now, to make use of the time available to them till March 31, 2018.

The timeframe is for filing returns of income for the assessment years 2016-17 (financial year 2015-16) and 2017-18 (financial year 2016-17).

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry region of the Income Tax Department is the fourth largest direct taxes contributor to the national exchequer.