The government received Rs 6,416 crore as self-assessed tax from over 2 lakh persons who were served with notices for depositing cash worth more than Rs 10 lakh after demonetisation but had failed to file any income tax returns, the finance ministry said on Tuesday. Such notices were served to over 3 lakh persons. “Because of sustained non-intrusive campaign during FY18, the net collection of direct taxes increased by 18% at 10.03 lakh crore. There has also been exceptional growth in personal advance tax of 23.4% and personal self-assessment tax of 29.9% in comparison to previous year,” the ministry said in a reply in Rajya Sabha.
Further, income tax department conducted searches leading to seizure of Rs 900 crore during the November 2016-March 2017 period, which included cash seizure of Rs 636 crore. During the same period, 8,239 surveys detected undisclosed income of Rs 6,745 crore.
The government said that the Enforcement Directorate registered 37 cases under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with the irregularities relating to demonetisation. Investigations in these cases resulted in attachment of properties worth Rs 144.71 crore. Moreover, 18 persons were arrested under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002 in connection with irregularities relating to demonetisation.