CBI court convicts CA and five others for TDS fraud

MUMBAI:A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court recently convicted a chartered accountant (CA), his assistant and four others in a TDS (tax deducted at source) fraud committed 20 years ago. The court, however, acquitted an officer of the tax department.

According to CBI, key accused Devendra Chaturvedi filed many bogus income tax returns with the help of his assistant, Hoor Jhurani, claiming refunds between 1996 and 1998, causing loss of ₹4 lakh to the revenue department. The duo was assisted by G Chokkalingam, who allegedly prepared forged TDS certificate and he was one of the beneficiaries of the crime. The accused opened bogus accounts of various banks in the name of transport companies. The other accused — Sayaji L Sangle, Ajit Chachad, Ashok Patel and John Soares — were shown as proprietors of non-existing transport firms in whose favour TDS certificates had been issued.

CBI prosecutor JK Sharma examined 41 witnesses, including officers of the income tax department. CBI had also booked Sharad Gambhir, who was posted as a tax assistant in the income tax department for giving tax refund orders. Gambhir, however, has been acquitted from all the charges for want of evidence. Chaturvedi has been sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment and also asked to pay fine of ₹1.50 lakh for each of the offences. His assistant Jhurani was sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment and was ordered to pay fine of ₹40,000 for each of the offences. Others have been sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for six months .