I-T dept tells Odisha labourer to pay Rs 2.59 lakh for deposits he 'never made'

KORAPUT: A tribal daily wage labourer of Nabarangpur district has received an income tax notice asking him to pay pending tax of Rs 2.59 lakh against a bank transaction he allegedly carried out in the financial year 2013-14.
According to the notice of assessment year 2014-15, which was received last month, the tax defaulter - Sanadhara Gand of Pujaribharandi under Umerkote police limits - had deposited Rs 1.47 crore in a branch of the ICICI Bank at Umerkote in 2013-14. What has shocked Gand further is the fact that the notice refers to the nature of transaction as wholesale trade of seasonal goods.
Man slapped with I-T notice suspects ID theft
I had received a similar notice two years ago, but did not pay heed to it. When I received the latest notice, I showed it to some of my friends in the village, who identified it as an income tax notice. I don't know what to do," said an upset Gand.
The labourer said some years ago an acquaintance had taken his copies of his Aadhaar and voter ID cards. These, he now thinks, may have been used to make illegal transactions in his name.
"At that time, I was working as a labourer at Umerkote. A trader I knew had taken copies of my Aadhaar, voter ID card and other documents. I suspect he might have opened a bank account in my name to carry out the transactions," he said, adding that he might file a police complaint.
An income tax official at Jeypore in Koraput district said the notice had been sent on the basis of the bank statement of the account holder.
"Who operated the account is of no concern to us," the official said.