Odisha Labourer Asks ‘Which Transactions’ After ₹2.59 Lakh Tax Notice

Nabarangpur: The tax notice came like a bolt out of blue for daily wage earner Sanadhara Gand of Pujaribharandi village in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district.

In the notice from the Income Tax Department, he has been asked to pay ₹2.59 lakh tax for bank transactions worth ₹1.47 crore done during 2014-15 assessment year. The nature of transaction, according to the notice, was wholesale trade of seasonal goods.

“I received the notice a few days back. How will I pay this huge sum of money?” Sanadhara asked, blaming the transactions to a trader at Umerkote.

“He had then asked me for copies of my Aadhaar card and voter ID and other documents. Without suspecting any foul play, I had handed them over to him. I suspect he might have opened a bank account in my name and carried out those transactions,” he said, adding that he might file a police complaint.

Sanadhara had ignored a similar notice, which he had received two years ago. “I showed the latest notice to some of my friends, who identified it as an income tax notice,” he said.

The I-T department has asked him to appear before it either personally or through authorised representative on February 10.

An income tax official at Jeypore rage said that the notice was sent on the basis of the bank statement of the account holder. “Who operated it is not our concern,” the official added.