Thursday, June 5, 2014

Liability to pay interest under IT Act remained intact even if assets of assessee were attached under other Act


Even a notified person whose properties were attached under Special Court (Trial of Offences relating to Transaction in Securities) Act, 1992 would be liable to pay interest under sections 234A, 234B and 234C.

Facts


a)The assessee was notified under the Special Court (Trial of Offences relating to Transactions in Securities) Act, 1992. The assets and properties of the assessee were attached by operation of the statute.

b)Interest for default in making payment of advance tax was levied on the assessee. The assessee submitted that its assets and properties were statutorily attached and permission to deal with the same, sought from the Special Court, was rejected and, thus, it was prevented from discharging the liability to pay the advance tax.

c)The Tribunal held that the provisions of sections 234A, 234B and 234C were not applicable to the notified persons and therefore, they were exempted from the liability to pay interest.

On appeal, the High Court held in favour of assessee as under:

1)The Tribunal had erred in taking a view that the assessee being a notified person under the Special Court (Trial of Offences relating to Transaction in Securities) Act, 1992 was not liable to pay interest under sections 234A, 234B and 234C.

2)Thus, merely because the assets and properties had been attached, it did not mean that the liability to pay interest would not arise. - CIT v. Cascade Holdings (P.) Ltd [2014] 45 taxmann.com 228 (Bombay)