GUWAHATI, March 23 - To tighten the noose around those resorting to high-end income tax evasion, the Gauhati High Court has designated a special court for fast disposal of offences under Income Tax Act, 1961 for the first time in Assam at the request of the Income Tax (IT) Department.
As per the direction of the Gauhati High Court, the Munsiff Court-cum-Judicial Court (First Class), Kamrup (Metro) has now been designated as the Special Court for trial of offences under Income Tax Act.
Records state that Guwahati has recorded major cases of tax evasion in the Northeast and constant surveys by the sleuths of the department have led to major detection in the recent years.
The IT Department is planning a massive crackdown against the tax evaders after April 1.
The IT Department has served notices to over 9,000 persons in the Northeast for making large cash deposits (more than Rs 10 lakh) in their bank accounts in the post-demonetisation period, which includes 575 cases of deposits of Rs 1 crore or above.
Sources informed that with rising number of prosecution related to tax evasion in Assam, the Income Tax Department had written to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court a few months back for setting up of special court in the line of Special CBI and NIA Court or for that matter the cases related to October 30,2008 serial blasts.
�We received the approval from the Gauhati High Court around a fortnight back agreeing to designate a Special Court to deal with IT prosecutions with jurisdiction over the State of Assam,� a top IT official told this reporter.
Sources informed that fast disposal of cases could act as a deterrent for those resorting to tax evasion in large scale.
�As per records available, the number of IT prosecutions has witnessed a quantum jump compared to last year and as per the existing trend, the figure is expected to shoot up further in the coming years,� sources pointed out.
