PIB fact-checks influencer CA Sarthak Ahuja's video about income tax clearance certificate for travel abroad

Under Section 230 [of the Income Tax Act, 1961], tax clearance certificates are not mandatory for everyone, says PIB

Updated on: Apr 18, 2026, 16:28:10 IST

Edited by Aarish Chhabra

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The Indian government on Saturday issued a clarification and “fact check” on a social media influencer's video about who really needs an income-tax clearance certificate while traveling abroad. But the influencer, Sarthak Ahuja, hit back and said his video was not misleading.

Sarthak Ahuja denied that his video had fake information. (LinkedIn)

The government's Press Information Bureau posted his video with the label “fake” on X and wrote: “An Instagram video by the account (@casarthakahuja) is claiming that all Indian citizens must obtain an income-tax clearance certificate (ITCC) every time before leaving the country. This claim is fake.”

What PIB says

It added. “Under Section 230 [of the Income Tax Act, 1961], tax clearance certificates are not mandatory for everyone; they are only required for specific individuals under certain legal circumstances. This rule has remained unchanged since 2003, even after the amendments vide Finance (No 2) Act, 2024.” It also shared a link to a press release from 2024, debunking misinformation at the time too.

“Tax clearance certificate… may be required to be obtained by persons domiciled in India only in the following circumstances: where the person is involved in serious financial irregularities and his presence is necessary in investigation of cases… or where the person has direct tax arrears exceeding ₹10 lakh,” that release said, sharing other nuances too.

However, Sarthak Ahuja, a Chartered Accountant known for making videos on personal finance and related subjects, wrote in reply to the shared clip: “Horrible. The video does not say all citizens. It clearly states that people who don’t have taxable income or PAN. So why pick on selectively showcasing it as incorrect!” In his reply, he did not dispute the details shared by the PIB regarding who actually needs a tax clearance certificate.

One user complained to him: “You have been incorrect about many things, called out many times in your Instagram comment section. Just because you state few right things doesn’t make it the whole truth. High time it was fact checked!”

Another pointed out: “Hey.. I follow you and your videos. To be honest, the start of your video is quite confusing,” while yet another X user said, “Then what do you mean by ‘Every time you leave the country’.”

Who is Sarthak Ahuja?

CA Sarthak Ahuja is famous for having a large social media following, prominently on Instagram. His profile says he completing CA, CS, and CMA by age 23, and has a management degree from the Indian School of Business (ISB).

He has written bestselling books too, including ‘Founder’s Office’, ‘Daily Coffee & Startup Fundraising’, and ‘The Money Ball’.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aarish Chhabra
Aarish Chhabra is an Associate Editor with the Hindustan Times online team, writing news reports and explanatory articles, besides overseeing coverage for the website. His career spans nearly two decades across India's most respected newsrooms in print, digital, and broadcast. He has reported, written, and edited across formats — from breaking news and live election coverage, to analytical long-reads and cultural commentary — building a body of work that reflects both editorial rigour and a deep curiosity about the society he writes for. Aarish studied English literature, sociology and history, besides journalism, at Panjab University, Chandigarh, and started his career in that city, eventually moving to Delhi. He is also the author of ‘The Big Small Town: How Life Looks from Chandigarh’, a collection of critical essays originally serialised as a weekly column in the Hindustan Times, examining the culture and politics of a city that is far more than its famous architecture — and, in doing so, holding up a mirror to modern India. In stints at the BBC, The Indian Express, NDTV, and Jagran New Media, he worked across formats and languages; mainly English, also Hindi and Punjabi. He was part of the crack team for the BBC Explainer project replicated across the world by the broadcaster. At Jagran, he developed editorial guides and trained journalists on integrity and content quality. He has also worked at the intersection of journalism and education. At the Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad, he developed a website that simplified academic research in management. At Bennett University's Times School of Media in Noida, he taught students the craft of digital journalism: from newsgathering and writing, to social media strategy and video storytelling. Having moved from a small town to a bigger town to a mega city for education and work, his intellectual passions lie at the intersection of society, politics, and popular culture — a perspective that informs both his writing and his view of the world. When not working, he is constantly reading long-form journalism or watching brainrot content, sometimes both at the same time.Read More

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