Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals And ... vs Commissioner Of Income Tax, Madras on 8 July, 1997
1. The respondent-assessed is engaged in the business of operating cellular mobile telephone services. In terms of a license awarded in its favor for operation of the said services in the States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal, the assessed was required to provide finance and performance (of) bank guarantees to the Department of Telecommunications. The assessed appears to have arranged these bank guarantees from IFCL, NICL and Lord Krishna Bank. These institutions had in connection with the furnishing of the guarantees required deposit of margin money by the assessed, Interest earned/accrued on these margin money deposits became the subject-matter of a dispute in the asst. yr. 1996-97. The AO was of the view that interest on such deposits had to be taxed as income from other sources. Reliance was in support of that view placed by the AO on a Supreme Court decision in Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. v. CIT .