Email ID sees 38,000 black money tip offs

Mumbai: The email ID that was set up to inform the authorities about black money-related activities has seen an overwhelming response, but only 20 per cent of the cases are being investigated, an Right To Information (RTI) query by a Mumbai-based activist has revealed.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which functions under the aegis of the ministry of finance, has so far received 38,068 emails on the ID blackmoneyinfo@incometax.gov.in. However, no action was taken in the case of over 80 per cent — 32,018 — of these emails, the RTI reply revealed.

The Union government, in December 2016, had created the email ID and asked the common public to inform it about black money hoarders. The government also claimed that around 16 per cent of such emails, which is 6,050, were forwarded to the officials concerned for investigation.

On the number of “false” emails received, the CBDT in the RTI reply said this information was “subject to completion of investigation”.

“Over 84 per cent tip-offs have been closed without any inquiry. This shows that either most emails were frivolous, or the authorities did not take them seriously, or there may have been a shortage of staff, which forced them to do so,” RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge said, slamming the CBDT.

Mr Ghadge had also filed another RTI query seeking the number of demonetised notes deposited with the Reserve Bank of India after January 1, 2017.

In November 2016, the CBDT had admitted that the real estate, manufacturing, trading and educational sectors were hotbeds for activities involving black money.

It had also revealed that from 2013 to 2016, the income tax department searched 1,559 groups, who collectively declared undisclosed income of Rs 32,000 crore approximately, and seized assets worth Rs 2,228 crore.