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Black Money

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In common parlance, Black money is a term used to refer to money that is not fully legitimate in the hands of the owner. The term "black money" is not defined per se in the tax laws. However, a definition of black money was adopted in the White Paper issued on Black Money by Government of India in May 2012.

As per the above report, ‘black money’ is defined as assets or resources that have neither been reported to the public authorities at the time of their generation nor disclosed at any point of time during their possession.

Black money could arise broadly due to two possible reasons. The first is that the money may have been generated through illegitimate activities not permissible under the law, like crime, drug trade, terrorism, and corruption, all of which are punishable under the legal framework of the state. Some of these offences are included in the schedule of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Money laundering, as defined by Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is the processing of these criminal proceeds to disguise their illegal origin.

The second and perhaps more likely reason is that the wealth may have been generated and accumulated by failing to pay the dues to the public exchequer in one form or other. In this case, the activities undertaken by the perpetrator could be legitimate and otherwise permissible under the law of the land but s/he has failed to report the income so generated, or comply with the tax requirements, or pay the dues to the public exchequer, thereby converting such income into black money.

Thus, in addition to wealth earned through illegal means, the term black money would also include legal income that is concealed from public authorities

The definition of black money used in the White Paper is in consonance with the definition used by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP)in its 1985 report on Aspects of Black Economy, wherein it defined ‘black income’ as ‘the aggregates of incomes which are taxable but not reported to the tax authorities’.

Because of deliberate, false reporting of incomes/output/ transactions national income and output of the country gets underestimated and hence, decisions based on such calculations tend to be faulty.


Black money lying abroad in foreign jurisdictions

The Finance Minister, in his budget speech of 2015-16, had conveyed the decision of the Government to enact a comprehensive new law on black money to specifically deal with black money stashed away abroad. In the Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets (Imposition of Tax) Bill, 2015 later introduced in the Parliament on 20.03.2015, the words corresponding to black money is "undisclosed income and assets".

As per the Bill, “undisclosed asset located outside India” means an asset (including financial interest in any entity) located outside India, held by the tax assessee in his name or in respect of which he is a beneficial owner, regarding which he has no explanation about the source of investment in such asset or the explanation given by him is unsatisfactory in the opinion of the Assessing Officer; Further, “undisclosed foreign income and asset” means the total amount of undisclosed income of an assessee from a source located outside India and the value of an undisclosed asset located outside India, and computed in the manner as laid down in the said Bill. These definitions stands for black money lying abroad.

The Bill provides for separate taxation of any undisclosed income in relation to foreign income and assets. Such income will henceforth not be taxed under the Income-tax Act but under the stringent provisions of the proposed new legislation. Undisclosed foreign income or assets will be taxed at the flat rate of 30 percent. No exemption or deduction or set off of any carried forward losses which may be admissible under the existing Income-tax Act, 1961, will be allowed. The penalty for non-disclosure of income or an asset located outside India will be equal to three times the amount of tax payable thereon, i.e., 90 percent of the undisclosed income or the value of the undisclosed asset. This is in addition to tax payable at 30%. Failure to furnish return in respect of foreign income or assets shall attract a penalty of Rs.10 lakh. The same amount of penalty is prescribed for cases where although the assessee has filed a return of income, but he has not disclosed the foreign income and asset or has furnished inaccurate particulars of the same. Abetment or inducement of another person to make a false return or a false account or statement or declaration under the Act will be punishable with rigorous imprisonment from six months to seven years. This provision will also apply to banks and financial institutions aiding in concealment of foreign income or assets of resident Indians or falsification of documents.


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