I-T dept publishes list of big tax defaulters

The Income Tax Department on Sunday published names of 31 tax evaders who owe over Rs 1,500 crore in taxes to the government in its bid to stop tax evasion.

The names, last known addresses and vital financial details of these entities were published in newspaper. The department said they were either they were “not traceable” or the taxman found “inadequate assets” in their names to obtain the taxes they owe.

“The step is aimed to publicising their names in the public domain so the common man can come forward to help the department in knowing the whereabouts of these defaulters. The step is to enhance public awareness against these entities. These names were earlier were put up on the department’s website earlier,” a senior I-T officer said.

The department published the names of the 31 defaulters under the seal of the Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Administration) based in the national capital here.

Adopting an aggressive approach, the government for the first time had earlier gone public with names of a set of 18 tax defaulters who owe Rs 500 crore to the I-T department and have since turned wilful defaulters.

Hyderabad-based Totem Infrastructure, which owes Rs 401.64 crore in taxes; Pune-based Patheja Bros Forging & Auto Parts Mfg Co, which owes Rs 224.05 crore; Hyderabad-based Royal Fabrics, which owes Rs 158.94 crore; and Mumbai-based Home Trade, which owes Rs 72. 18 crore, are some of the entities that found their way to the list published on Sunday.

“This is the second list that the tax department has put in public domain. The department, in the public notice, has provided the PAN number and the last known address of these defaulters for the public to know,” the official added.

According to a statement given by government in Parliament, the total Corporate Tax demand due to the government till December 2014 was Rs 3,11,080 crore. — PTI