SIT on black money revises cap on cash holding from Rs 2 mn to Rs 10 mn

The SIT has also recommended that the entire amount found in seizures crossing that limit should go to the government treasury

Press Trust of India  |  Ahmedabad 

cash, demonetisation, note ban, rupees
The latest recommendations come after the earlier suggested limits were found to be too low

The (SIT) on has recommended the central government to cap the limit at Rs 10 million instead of its earlier suggestion of Rs 2 million.

The has also recommended that the entire amount found in seizures crossing that limit should go to the government treasury, Justice (retired) M B Shah, who heads the on black money, said on Thursday.

The latest recommendations come after the earlier suggested limits of Rs 1.5 million and Rs 2 million were found to be too low.

"We have recommended that the cap on should be Rs 10 million. We have also recommended that the entire amount seized above the limit of Rs 10 million should go to the government," Justice said.

According to the existing rules, an offender can retrieve seized cash by paying 40 per cent income tax and penalty.

The recommendations have come after huge amounts of cash were seized in by tax authorities in the country.

The Income Tax sleuths had on July 16 searched over 20 premises of a firm engaged in highway construction and its associate companies in and seized Rs 1.6 billion cash and 100 kg of gold.

"Look at the amount of cash that is being seized, Rs 1.6 billion... Rs 1.77 billion...," Justice said.

"The amount of money being seized is so high that now we are of the opinion that Rs 2 million limits will not do," he said.

Justice had earlier suggested the cash holding limit to be at Rs 1.5 million. However, later he had recommended raising the limit to Rs 2 million.

The was formed by the central government in 2014 on directions of

The panel has been continuously suggesting anti-measures to the government.

First Published: Thu, July 19 2018. 16:44 IST