Anil Ambani gets IT notice over secret funds in Swiss banks

NEW DELHI: The Income-Tax Department has sought to prosecute Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani under the Black Money Act for allegedly evading Rs 420 crore in taxes on undisclosed funds worth more than Rs 814 crore held in two Swiss bank accounts.

The Department has charged Ambani, 63, with “wilful” evasion, saying he “intentionally” did not disclose his foreign bank account details and financial interests to Indian tax authorities.

A show cause notice in this context was issued to Ambani early this month. The department said he was liable to be prosecuted under Sections 50 and 51 of the Black Money (undisclosed foreign income and assets) Imposition of Tax Act of 2015 that stipulates a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment with a fine. It has sought his response to the charges by August 31.

Ambani’s office had not responded to a query sent on the matter till the time of this story being filed. The businessman has been charged with evading tax, by way of holding undisclosed assets abroad, for the assessment years 2012-13 to 2019-20.

According to the notice, a copy of which was accessed by PTI, tax officials found that Ambani was an “economic contributor as well as beneficial owner” of a Bahamas-based entity called ‘Diamond Trust’ and another company called Northern Atlantic Trading Unlimited (NATU) which was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).