Jammu
The Income Tax Department has issued a stern warning to employees of various government departments in Jammu and Kashmir, including the police department, for allegedly making fraudulent refund claims on a large scale. The principal commissioner of income tax for J&K and Ladakh brought this matter to light, leading the finance department to issue a circular. The circular calls for defaulter employees to update their income tax returns (ITRs) and withdraw any incorrect claims promptly.
The communication from the I-T principal commissioner revealed that many employees from different departments, such as education, health, power, and police, were claiming excessive deductions under various sections of the Income Tax Act, despite being ineligible. The consequences outlined for these fraudulent claims include imprisonment, fines, and attachment of bank accounts for recovery.
Non-compliance with the department’s directives may result in penalties. Defaulter employees are urged to file updated ITRs for the financial years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 without delay, as delays could lead to further scrutiny and additional tax liabilities. In response, the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department issued a circular to all administrative secretaries, instructing them to advise employees to comply with the I-T Department’s requirements and withdraw any incorrect claims.
