IT officer takes written signed declaration without copy or receipt --- legal?

[Guest]

One of my clients was sent a summon to appear before an IT officer because IT dept found his declaration of assets incomplete. He duly appeared before the IT officer and was told to write down a declaration of assets, which he did. When he asked to retain a copy for his records, the IT officer told him that is not allowed, and the only way to get a copy of his own declaration was to file an RTI. I believe my client is entitled to retain a copy of the declaration he wrote. He got no other receipt or acknowledgment that he even reported to the IT office and provided all documents asked for. I think he was entitled to that too.

The whole encounter reeked of collecting confession under duress without witness. My client was 100% honest, by the way. No evasion was ever attempted.

Is there any specific article in the IT Act that permits an IT officer to collect a declaration without returning a true copy?

AI Summary

Income Tax Officer Denies Copy of Asset Declaration; Individual's Right to Document Confirmed Under RTI Rules An individual was summoned by an Income Tax (IT) officer due to an incomplete declaration of assets. During the meeting, the IT officer required the individual to write a declaration but denied their request for a copy, suggesting that obtaining one would require filing a Right to Information (RTI) request. The individual received no receipt or acknowledgment of their visit or document submission. The situation raised concerns about the legality of withholding a copy of the declaration. A respondent confirmed that the individual has the right to receive a copy of the declaration.