Deduction for political donations was contested on grounds that...

Deduction for political donations was contested on grounds that the recipient party was a tainted conduit for accommodation entries; the assessee bore the onus to substantiate genuineness. The assessing officer produced no evidence of commission, reciprocal payments, or a direct nexus showing benefit to the assessee from the recipient party. On that basis the Tribunal affirmed that the addition could not be sustained and decided against the revenue, noting that CIT(A)/NFAC had previously deleted the addition for lack of proof.