The Income Tax (I-T) officials have used satellite image to nab a tax evader claiming that this is apparently the first such approach by the department. With the help of the image, tax evasion of Rs 15 crore has been brought into the light. The principal director (investigation) of I-T, Amrendra Kumar said that, “The department is taking help of technology to nab those who are evading tax.” He added that this is “probably the first-ever case of using satellite image to reach the accused and the technology will be used in future too.”

Explaining the matter, Kumar stated that a person from Modinagar, in February 2016, got the registry of a commercial land showing it as an agriculture land to evade tax. The tax department somehow got the information and sent a notice to him to which he replied that the land in question is an agriculture land only, the official added.

He further said that the department did not believe him and asked the National Remote Sensing Agency (Hyderabad) to send an old image of the land. After receiving the image from the agency, the complete details were checked and it was found that at the time of registry there was a commercial complex already build on the land in question.

With the image as evidence, the accused was sent a notice again. Now, the accused has to pay Rs 15 crore as tax because in such cases, the tax rate is 100 per cent.

Hi-tech tax department

The tax department is using hi-tech measures to keep a check on tax evaders. Apart from using satellite images, the department has also incorporated other improved technologies to limit fraud-related cases.

Source:https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/i-t-department-goes-hi-tech-uses-satellite-image-to-nab-tax-evader/articleshow/68686111.cms