Gujaratis sure know their 'dhandha', but they're also among India's top tax defaulters

The Income-Tax department has once again named tax defaulters in the country on its website.

It released the data in this regard late on Wednesday night. Out of the 31 names of tax evaders mentioned, six are from Gujarat (four individuals and two companies). The individuals are into share trading and angadia business while the two companies named are Dharnendra Industries Ltd and Gujarat Pipes Ltd. These individuals and companies have evaded around Rs 134 crore in taxes since 1980-81.

The I-T department had similarly named to shame defaulters by announcing a list of tax evaders a fortnight ago. In that list, too, 11 out of the 18 top tax evaders were from Gujarat. So out of total 49 names announced till now, 17 are from Gujarat, followed by 14 from Telangana and 11 from Maharashtra. The total amount Gujarat companies and individuals owe the I-T department comes to Rs 401.55 crore.

Adopting an aggressive approach, the government has for the first time gone public with names of tax defaulters.

The individuals who have defaulted on taxes are Indravadan Darbar (capital gains/share trading), Devendra Shah (capital gains), Rajnikant M Desai (Angadia production and film distribution) and Girish Prabhu Das Ruparel. According to I-T officials, in spite of several reminders and notices, these individuals had failed to pay taxes.

The 'name and shame' method adopted by the I-T dept is being seen as an attempt to recover taxes from defaulters who have been dodging officials for several years. Some of the taxes to be recovered from these defaulters is due since 1980-81. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had asked the I-T department to post on its website the names of the defaulters.

The companies named in the latest list released by the I-T department from Gujarat include ice cream and frozen food manufacturer Dharnendra Industries Ltd and Gujarat Pipes Ltd. According to the list, Gujarat Pipes Ltd exists only on paper without any assets and has to pay Rs 12.44 crore in taxes.

The defaulter companies in the earlier list announced by the department include Somani Cement, Appletech Solutions, Jupiter Business and Hirak Biotech among others.

According to the notice, defaulters are advised to pay tax arrears immediately. The department, in the public notice, has provided the PAN number and the last known address of these defaulters.

States with maximum evaders State- Number of defaulters Gujarat- 17 Telangana- 14 Maharashtra- 11 Others- 7 Total 49

Major evaders from Gujarat Name of defaulter- Tax arrears (in Rs cr) Individuals Indravadan V Darbar- 27.81 Devendra Kantilal Shah- 25.13 Rajnikant M Desai- 13.08 Girish Prabhu Das Ruparel- 27.09 Laxminarayan T Thakkar- 12.49 Companies Blue Information Technology Ltd- 75.11 Dharmendra Industries- 28.80 Appletech Solutions Ltd- 27.70 Somani Cement Co Ltd- 27.47 Jupiter Business Ltd- 21.31 Viraj Dyeing & Printing Pvt Ltd- 18.57 Hirak Biotech Ltd- 18.54 Icon Bio Pharma & Healthcare Ltd- 17.69 Banyan & Berry Alloys Ltd- 17.48 Poonam Industries Ltd- 15.84 Kunvar Ajay Food Pvt Ltd- 15.00 Gujarat Pipes Ltd- 12.44 (Source: incometaxindia.gov.in)