Income Tax Department conducts searches in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: The income tax department conducted a search action in the case of a Bijnor-based group engaged in real estate business and its associates.

The operation conducted on October 28 was based on allegations that the group companies were having huge security premium reserves and massive liabilities in the form of loans and advances from related parties/others and other payables, even then they had advanced substantial loans to others, a finance ministry statement on the operation said.

The sales of the group were not commensurate with the loans and advances shown.

During the search, unexplained cash of more than Rs 50 lakh and unexplained jewellery weighing approximately 2.5 kg has been found, so far.

The allegations regarding share premium have been found to be correct during the search, the ministry statement added.

They are not commensurate with the income of the concerned shareholders, who could not explain their sources.

During the search, more than 20 companies were found to be running from a single premise out of which many companies are dummy companies and do not show any operations.

Companies without any worth were showing significant amounts of share premium. The dummy companies are being used as conduit for layering of funds, the departments investigation into the matter revealed.

One of the group members has financial interest in one UK-based foreign company and one property in London, the sources of investment therein are being examined, the IT department said.

Apart from this, incriminating documents relating to investments in many properties have also been recovered from several premises and the same are being investigated. The sources of investment in properties owned by the group are being verified.

Hand-written papers relating to certain payments/receipts have also been found during the search and are being examined.

So far six bank lockers have been found and further investigations are going on.