Reopening an income-tax assessment for the identical...

Reopening an income-tax assessment for the identical bank-deposit transaction already investigated and finally adjudicated is impermissible where the subsequent authority relies on the same material; the doctrine Nemo debet bis vexari pro una et eadem causa bars subjecting the assessee to duplicate adjudication. The court reiterates that a notice under section 148 requires "reasons to believe" grounded in tangible material with a nexus to escaped income and cannot be based on mere suspicion or a change of opinion. The reassessment attempt was self conflicting and set aside; the writ petition was allowed, preventing a second assessment on the same subject matter.

---