ACIT vs. Seaways Shipping Ltd. in appeal no.80/H/2011Hyderabad bench of ITAT
"In this case, penalty is levied for disallowance of expenditure under section 40(a) (ia) of the Income Tax Act. Non deduction of TDS by the assessee was resulted in disallowance of expenditure under section 40(a) (ia), that itself cannot be construed as furnishing inaccurate particulars of income or concealment of income. The assessee has failed to deduct TDS which resulted in disallowance of expenditure. In our opinion, the mistake committed by the assessee was compensated by disallowing the expenditure. Further, the revenue cannot penalize the assessee by levying penalty under section 271(1) (c ) of the Act. In order to levy penalty under section 271 (1) (c) of the Act, there has to be concealment of particulars of income of the assessee or the assessee must have furnished inaccurate particulars of its income. Present is not the case of concealment of income or it is not the case of revenue that the assessee has furnished inaccurate particulars of income. The department has not found out that the assessee has furnished any factual incorrect information and the assessee is not guilty of furnishing of inaccurate particulars of income. In our opinion, the conditions laid down in section 271(1) (c) of the Act is not complied with. Being so, levy of penalty is not justified merely because the assessee has claimed certain expenditure that expenditure is not eligible in view of the provisions of section 40(a)(ia) of the Act and for that reason, expenditure is disallowed. Penalty cannot be levied for mere making of a claim of the expenditure which is not sustainable and deletion of penalty by the CIT(A) is justified. We place reliance on the judgement of the Honble Supreme Court in the case of CIT Vs. Reliance Petro Products (P) Ltd. (2010) 322 ITR 158 (SC). Accordingly the ground raised by the revenue holds no merit."
"In this case, penalty is levied for disallowance of expenditure under section 40(a) (ia) of the Income Tax Act. Non deduction of TDS by the assessee was resulted in disallowance of expenditure under section 40(a) (ia), that itself cannot be construed as furnishing inaccurate particulars of income or concealment of income. The assessee has failed to deduct TDS which resulted in disallowance of expenditure. In our opinion, the mistake committed by the assessee was compensated by disallowing the expenditure. Further, the revenue cannot penalize the assessee by levying penalty under section 271(1) (c ) of the Act. In order to levy penalty under section 271 (1) (c) of the Act, there has to be concealment of particulars of income of the assessee or the assessee must have furnished inaccurate particulars of its income. Present is not the case of concealment of income or it is not the case of revenue that the assessee has furnished inaccurate particulars of income. The department has not found out that the assessee has furnished any factual incorrect information and the assessee is not guilty of furnishing of inaccurate particulars of income. In our opinion, the conditions laid down in section 271(1) (c) of the Act is not complied with. Being so, levy of penalty is not justified merely because the assessee has claimed certain expenditure that expenditure is not eligible in view of the provisions of section 40(a)(ia) of the Act and for that reason, expenditure is disallowed. Penalty cannot be levied for mere making of a claim of the expenditure which is not sustainable and deletion of penalty by the CIT(A) is justified. We place reliance on the judgement of the Honble Supreme Court in the case of CIT Vs. Reliance Petro Products (P) Ltd. (2010) 322 ITR 158 (SC). Accordingly the ground raised by the revenue holds no merit."