I-T dept to 'name and shame' crorepati' defaulters this fiscal

The Income Tax department, beginning this financial year, has decided to 'name and shame' all category of taxpayers who have a default of Rs one crore and above.

The department has begun publishing the names of tax defaulters in leading national dailies since last year and has named 67 such defaulters from across the country till now with their vital details like addresses, contacts, PAN card number and shareholders in case of companies.

The earlier exercise was restricted to people with huge defaults to the tune of about Rs 20-30 crore but the new measure will bring to the forward those names who have defaulted a tax of Rs 1 crore or more.

"It has been decided to 'name and shame' all category of taxpayers including personal and corporate taxpayers who have a default of Rs 1 crore and above by March, 31 which is the end of 2016-17 financial year.

"The names will be published before July 31 next year," a senior official said.

An order in this regard, also accessed by PTI, has also been issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

The official said the aim of the exercise is to inform the public at large about such tax evaders whom the taxman has not been able to lay their hands on despite using various investigative and enforcement tools.

The IT department has also provided a list of such names an identities on its official web portal.