Income Tax dept asks banks to report pre-demonetization cash deposits

Seeking to analyse the banking transactions in months before the demonetization, the has asked banks to report cash deposits in savings accounts between April 1 to November 9, 2016.

Besides, banks have also been directed to ask the account holders, who did not furnished PAN (Permanent Account Number) or Form 60 (for those without PAN) at the time of opening bank account, to do so by February 28 this year.

As per a notification, the banks, cooperative banks and post offices will have to report to the tax department all cash deposits between April 1 to November 9, 2016 -- the day when the demonetization was effected by junking old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

Further bank officials will have to document PAN or declaration of Form 60 received from account holders and maintain all records for transactions under Rule 114B of I-T Act. Rule 114B lists various transactions for which quoting PAN is mandatory.

It said that persons who have not quoted PAN, or did not furnish Form 60 at the time of opening account, will have to provide the same by February 28. Form 60 is a declaration form filed by an individual without PAN.

Following the demonetization move effective November 9, the tax department had earlier asked banks and post offices to report to it all deposits above Rs 2.5 lakh in savings accounts and more than Rs 12.50 lakh in current accounts made between November 10-December 30, 2016.

Also, cash deposits exceeding Rs 50,000 in a single day had to be reported.

With an estimated about Rs 15 lakh crore in junked currency notes coming back into the banking system post demonetization, the tax department has started analysing the bank deposit trends.