Since the demonetisation drive, the Government has seen a sudden spurt in Jan Dhan accounts. “I have a gut feeling that most of these deposits are of netas — local leaders,” said a senior minister in the Modi government.

As if on cue, on Sunday the finance ministry issued a statement saying “investigations being conducted by the Income Tax Department across India into the sudden surge in cash deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have revealed various inconsistencies. Undisclosed monies of approximately ₹1.64 crore deposited by persons who have never filed returns of income, being below the taxable limits, into their Jan Dhan accounts have already been detected at Kolkata, Midnapore, Ara (Bihar), Kochi and Varanasi... ₹40 lakh has been seized from one such account in Bihar”.

This makes you wonder whose money it is. The statement said undisclosed income so detected will be taxed according to the provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961, apart from other actions being taken depending upon the outcome of investigations.

Genius tax evaders

Tax officials usually seem to know all about people’s transactions. But they too have been surprised by the devious ways in which people are converting black money into white. Asked why the Government chose to amend the Income Tax Act that proposes a higher penalty and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana, an official said in a lighter vein, “It was because of the genius of the people!”

Hum katar mein hain

Guess who is making the best of the long queues at ATMs. Central government employees. A senior official who had been waiting for his junior officers for hours, said, “Today the situation is such that you can’t even get angry …no sooner do they punch in for duty, most of them disappear.

Ask where they have been, and the reply is – the ATM, sir.” Now, one can’t get angry, says the helpless officer, long queues are a reality. Besides, there is no way of checking where they have been.

Securing the bucks

While on the subject, a security guard at the ATM of a private bank in Mumbai has mastered the art of turning adversity into opportunity.

He informs residents when the ATM is loaded with cash — for a price, of course. The fee ranges from ₹50 to ₹100, and that’s a fact.

No Jio-PMO connection

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio campaign hadthe face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsing the product, leading to questions about whether private companies should be allowed to use the PM’s in their advertisements.

It was only recently that this doubt was answered — in a written reply to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyvardhan Rathore said: “No permission was granted by the Prime Minister’s office.” But the next question, as to whether the PMO would take action, remains unanswered.

Taxing encroachments

Change is not easy, especially when it is a radically new tax reform like the Goods and Services Tax. While States are trying to protect their earnings through indirect taxes, the Centre is protecting its own turf.

The latest meeting of the GST Council saw a new twist to this tale: States complaining against the high-handed approach of the Centre — “they are encroaching on the jurisdiction of the States”.

Still appealing

At a recent event organised by the Bar Association of India to honour legal legends, some of those gathered were amused to see only those well into their golden years being felicitated. But they have still not lost their intellectual prowess. Anil B Divan had this to say after receiving an award: Old lawyers never retire, they only lose their appeal!

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