Chartered Accountant got I-T refunds on bogus papers 20 yrs ago, jailed for 3 years

A chartered accountant has been sentenced to three years jail and ordered to pay Rs 1.5 lakh in fine by the special CBI court for an income tax fraud dating back to 1999. Chartered accountant Devendra Chaturvedi’s assistant Hoor Jhurani has been ordered to serve a two-year jail sentence.

The special court also convicted four more people in this case and ordered them to serve six months in jail. Sharad Gambhir, the income tax officer who was accused by the CBI of colluding with them, has been acquitted by the court.

According to the CBI, Devendra Chaturvedi and his assistant Hoor Jhurani filed many income tax returns claiming bogus I-T refunds between 1996 and 1998. This resulted in losses to the department to the tune of Rs 4 lakh.

The accused opened bogus accounts in various banks in the name of fictitious transport companies that were used to claim refunds.

Public prosecutor for CBI JK Sharma examined 41 witnesses including Income Tax department officials.

The CBI had implicated Sharad Gambhir, who was posted as tax assistant in the I-T department for giving tax refund orders to the key accused. Gambhir, however, has been acquitted from all charges for want of evidence.

All the other accused have been convicted for the offences of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy under Indian Penal Code.