Income tax department
Income tax department: The impact of the steps taken by the Income Tax Department to make ITR filing easy and transparent is now clearly visible. From tightening fake CA and scammers to giving correct guidelines to taxpayers, the department has taken several important steps. Due to these efforts, ‘Income Tax Department’ has been trending in the top keywords on Google Trends for the last 15 days. People are using this keyword fiercely to solve tax problems.
The Income Tax Department is not in discussion only because of ITR filing. Many such reports have come out in the last 10 days, in which the department has initiated strict action against the chartered accountants and other institutions involved in fake tax activities.
Fake claims
Recently, the government issued a circular stating that some taxpayers achieved wrong refunds through fake cuts and exemption. The Income Tax Department has taken a tough stand to stop such activities. On July 14, the Finance Ministry issued an important circular, stating that some chartered accountants and professional intermediates were helping taxpayers to get more refunds through fake cuts and exemption. After this circular, the Income Tax Department started raids at 150 to 200 places across the country. These raids were mainly focused on institutions and individuals who were making fake claims in items like political donation, tuition fees and health expenses.
AI and data analytics use
In this entire action, the Income Tax Department resorted to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics. Initial investigation revealed that many taxpayers took wrong refund based on fake receipts and documents. In some cases, TDS returns were also filed with fraud. The effect of this strictness of the department was that in the last few months, about 40,000 taxpayers came out and withdrew their wrong claims. The total price of these claims was about Rs 1,045 crore.
Government employees and corporate professionals also included
The investigation also revealed that this fraud included government employees, PSU employees and professionals working in multinational companies. In many cases, people were learning how to take fake refunds through WhatsApp and Telegram Group. Information about preparing fake documents and filing wrong claims was being shared through these groups.
Effect of strictness of Income Tax Department
This strict action of the Income Tax Department not only exposed the fraud, but has also increased awareness among taxpayers. The technical and policy reforms made by the department have made ITR filing more transparent. Also, the identity of fake claims with the use of AI and data analytics has now become much faster and accurate than ever.
This campaign of the Income Tax Department is not only helping to stop tax evasion, but is also helping honest taxpayers by giving them the right guidelines. Along with trending on google trends, this activism of the department is working to increase confidence in the tax system.