Raj Kumar v. ITO (2020) 82 ITR 509 (Delhi)(Trib.)

S. 271(1)(c) : Penalty-Concealment-Failure to specify the charge, which limb penalty proceedings initiated-Penalty quashed.

Tribunal held that  the notice issued before levy of the penalty, the Assessing Officer had mentioned “have concealed the particulars of your income or furnished inaccurate particulars of such income in terms of Explanations 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.” The notice clearly showed that it had not specified under which limb of section 271(1)(c) of the Act the penalty proceedings had been initiated, whether for concealment of particulars of income or furnishing inaccurate particulars of income. The entire penalty proceedings were, therefore, vitiated and no penalty was leviable. Further, the Assessing Officer in the assessment order had not recorded any satisfaction under which limb of section 271(1)(c) of the Act the penalty proceedings had been initiated. The Assessing Officer merely mentioned at the bottom of the assessment order after computing the income that penalty proceedings under section 271(1)(c) of the Act had been initiated separately. Thus, there was violation of the law in the matter. Hence, there was no justification to levy the penalty under section 271(1)(c) of the Act against the assessee. The orders of the authorities were to be set aside and the penalty was to be deleted. (AY. 1996-97)