NEW DELHI: In a stern message to those making false income tax claims, authorities have carried out a rare search action on an IT professional and his wife, estimating alleged bogus claims and tax evasion of Rs 5.3 crore over five years, according to the department. The couple also face charges of forging documents.Tax officials found that deduction claims involved fake political donations, interest on home and education loans, while rental income was not disclosed. They had purchased half-a-dozen properties using some of these funds.It all started with the wife's tax return claiming a deduction of over Rs 40 lakh for a donation to a political party. While her Form 16 showed deductions of around Rs 1.2 lakh, the return claimed an additional deduction. When the claim was verified with the party, officials found that the taxpayer had actually donated Rs 50, for which a receipt had been issued. Investigators found that the receipt had been digitally modified and several fabricated receipts generated to support the claim of a donation exceeding Rs 40 lakh.But the couple, who live in Delhi-NCR, did not give in easily. When summoned during the investigation, the husband, who filed the returns, not only presented the "modified" receipts but also submitted bank statements to support the claim. Officials sought to verify the statements with the bank, as the transactions did not tally.Loan payments, credit card payments and bank transfers, including transfers to their own account,...
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