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Showing contexts for: "client code modification" in Stratagem Portfolio (P) Ltd, Rohtak vs Dcit Circle- 24(2), New Delhi on 15 September, 2020Matching Fragments
5. In support of the ground, the Learned Counsel of the assessee referred to the reasons recorded, which has been reproduced by the Assessing Officer in the impugned assessment order. He submitted that in the reasons recorded, the Assessing Officer has recorded about process of Client Code Modification (CCM) by the brokers under the facility provided by the stock ITA Nos.7878/Del./2019 exchanges for rectification of error in punching of the client code while carrying out transaction of purchase and sale of the shares. He further referred to para-12 of the said reasons and submitted that the Assessing Officer has reproduced number of events, where assessee's code was modified by the broker. The learned Counsel submitted that the Assessing Officer on the basis of modification in the client code of the assessee, has jumped to believe that it had been done for shifting of profit of ₹ 6,42,781/- and shifting of loss of ₹ 4,420/-. According to Learned Counsel, this belief of the Assessing Officer is without any tangible material to support that such client code modification has been done for evasion of the tax. Further, he submitted that the Learned Assessing Officer is not justified in making the belief that profit or loss shifted to other persons by way of client code modification by the broker has resulted into any income to the assessee, which could be assessed under section 68 as cash credit. 5.1 He submitted that learned Assessing Officer acted only on the basis of suspicion and it could not be said that it was based on belief that income chargeable to tax had escaped assessment. He referred to page 5 of reasons recorded where the learned Assessing Officer noted that:
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10. A perusal of the above, shows that Client Code Modification is legally permissible in case of mistake. In the instant case, the observation of the Assessing Officer is to the effect that due to Client Code Modification in two transactions, the assessee's income was reduced by Rs.5,96,176/-.
11. We find that there is no material which has been brought out in the recorded reasons to show that Client Code Modification in the instant case was malafide or the assessee received Rs.5,96,176/- in cash in lieu of the said Client Code Modification. Thus, the above recording at best is a reason to suspect only.
2. Thereafter, the return was processed under 143(1) of the IT Act. However, the case was not selected for scrutiny/or scrutinized us 143(3) of the Act. Subsequently, information through email was received on 11/03/2016 from Asstt. Director of Income Tax (Investigation), Unit 1(3), Ahmedabad by which a Survey Report was disseminated in cases of beneficiary clients who have taken contrived losses & shifted old profits using Client Code Modification.
3. It is a detailed report of 593 pages. I have gone through the report and gathered that how Client code modification has been done in case of the assessee to evade tax. Client code is unique code which is assigned by a broker to its clients. A broker can issue just one code to a client. Client Code Modification means modification/change of the client codes after execution of trades. Vide Circular no. SMD/POLICY/Cir-/03, dated February 6, 2003 SEBI mandated that the slack exchanges shall not normally permit changes in the client code except to correct for genuine mistakes. The client code modifications permit brokers to rectify human errors when a client inadvertently provides a wrong code or when or a wrong code is punched in by the broker whilst executing the trade. The broker is allowed to change it between 3.30 pm and 4 pm to rectify a genuine error that may have occurred while entering the code, the facility ensures smooth functioning of the system and is to be used as an exception rather than routine. Client code modification means modification of client code after the execution of trade.
Income Chargeable to tax escaping assessment
15. Considering the above referred credible information, and enquiries and analysts subsequent to the information, I have reason to believe that an amount at least of Rs.6,47,201/- & commission @ 2%, amounting to Rs.12,944/- (@ 2%) has escaped assessment in case the of M/s Stratagem Portfolio P Ltd for the A.Y. 2010-11 within the meaning of Section 147/148 of Income-tax Act, 1961."
5.4 On perusal of the above reasons, it is evident that the material suggests that client code modification has been carried out by the broker in the case of the assessee. According to the information available in the reasons recorded, client code modification is allowed to the brokers by the stock exchange, within a limited window of time after business hours, for rectification of any mistakes in punching of the client code while carrying out transaction of purchase and sale on behalf of the customers. The Learned Assessing Officer, however has alleged in the reasons recorded that client code modification has been done for shifting of the profit or loss by the assessee. But there is no material to infer that such client code modification has been done with malafide purpose of shifting of the profit or evasion of the tax. There is no material before the Assessing Officer to form such a belief that income had escaped due to such client code modification and thus there is no live link between the material before the Assessing Officer and inference made. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Rajesh Jhaveri Stock Brokers (P) Ltd. reported in 291 ITR 500 has held that for validity of reason ITA Nos.7878/Del./2019 recorded it is essential that there should be a relevant material on which a reasonable person could make requisite belief. In the circumstances, in view of the above decision of the Hon'ble Bombay High Court in the case of M/s. Coronation Agro Industries Ltd. (supra) and decisions of the Tribunal (supra), we are of the opinion that the assessment cannot be reopened validly on the basis of the above reasons recorded in absence of any tangible material to infer that income escaped in the case of the assessee. We, accordingly, quash the reassessment proceedings and set aside the order of the Learned CIT(A) on the issue in dispute. The ground No. 1.1 of the appeal is accordingly allowed. 5.5 Since we have already quashed the reassessment proceeding, we are not adjudicating other ground of the appeal challenging validity of the reassessment as well as on the merit of the additions.