Pulling up the Income-Tax Department for allegedly giving misleading facts and for a delay in filing a petition, the Supreme Court has expressed shock and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh.

“We dismiss the petition with costs of ₹10 lakh to be paid to the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee within four weeks from today. The amount be utilised for juvenile justice issues,” said a recent order by a Bench of Justice Madan B Lokur, Justice S Abdul Nazeer and Justice Deepak Gupta.

The case pertained to a special leave petition filed by the Commissioner of Income-Tax, Ghaziabad, against a judgment passed by the Allahabad High Court in 2016.

Noting that the petition was filed after a delay of 596 days, the apex court said the explanation given for the delay was inadequate and unconvincing.

Also, while the petitioner had said that a similar matter was pending before the court, the Registrar’s Office had given a report that the case was decided by the court in September 2012.

“In other words, the petitioners have given a totally misleading statement before this court,” it said, expressing “shock” that the Union of India, through the Commissioner of Income-Tax, has taken the matter so “casually”.

“There is an inadequate explanation of delay of 596 days in filing the petition and a misleading statement about pendency of a similar civil appeal,” the order said.

The court has also sought a compliance report after four weeks.

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