Principal Commissioner of Income Tax Central-3 v. Alchemist Life Sciences Ltd

Delhi High Court · 03 Feb 2022 · 2022:DHC:444-DB
Manmohan; Navin Chawla
ITA 20/2022
2022:DHC:444-DB
tax appeal_dismissed Significant

AI Summary

Delhi High Court upheld that additions under Section 153A cannot be made without seized materials when assessments have attained finality prior to search.

Full Text
Translation output
ITA20/2022 and connected matters
HIGH COURT OF DELHI
ITA 20/2022
PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX CENTRAL-3
DELHI ..... Appellant
Through: Mr.Abhishek Maratha, Advocate.
VERSUS
ALCHEMIST LIFE SCIENCES LTD ..... Respondent
Through
ITA 21/2022
VERSUS
ALCHEMIST LIFE SCIENCE LTD ..... Respondent
Through
ITA 22/2022
VERSUS
Through
ITA 23/2022
2022:DHC:444-DB
VERSUS
Through
Date of Decision: 03rd February, 2022
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANMOHAN
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE NAVIN CHAWLA
JUDGMENT
MANMOHAN, J (ORAL)

1. The appeals have been heard by way of video conferencing.

2. Present appeals have been filed challenging the order dated 12th

3. Learned counsel for the appellant states that ITAT has erred in holding that additions cannot be made under Section 153A of the Income Tax Act [‘Act’], if it is not based on the seized materials/documents found during the course of search and seizure operations under Section 132 of the Act, as the appeals in the case of APAR Industries Limited, ITA 1669/2013 decided by the Bombay High Court and 115 other cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court. July, 2021 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal [‘ITAT’] in ITA Nos.792, 793, 794 and 795/Del/2018, whereby the appeals of the appellant/revenue were dismissed.

4. Having perused the paperbook, this Court is of the opinion that the questions of law raised in the present appeals have been settled by the predecessor Division Bench in CIT v. Kabul Chawla, [2016] 380 ITR 573 (Delhi) and assessment of the respondent had attained finality prior to the date of search and no incriminating materials/documents had been found and/or seized at the time of search.

5. Consequently, no addition can be made under Section 153A of the Act, as the cases of the respondent are of non-abated assessments.

6. Though some of the judgments of this Court have been challenged and are pending adjudication before the Supreme Court, yet there is no stay of the said judgments till date.

7. Consequently, in view of the judgments of the Supreme Court in Kunhayammed and Others Vs. State of Kerala And Another, (2000) 6 SCC 359 and Shree Chamundi Mopeds Ltd. Vs. Church of South India Trust Association CSI Cinod Secretariat, Madras (1992) 3 SCC 1, the present appeals are dismissed being covered by the judgment passed by the learned predecessor Division Bench. MANMOHAN, J NAVIN CHAWLA, J FEBRUARY 3, 2022 TS