Action under the Income-tax Act, 1961 has been taken on the 12 trusts/entities, involving 26 individuals of Indian origin/nationality, based upon the information received from the German Tax Authorities under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) between India and Germany. Similarly, action has been taken in the cases of 628 Indians holding bank accounts in HSBC bank in Switzerland information regarding whom was received from the Government of France under the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) between India and France. Action includes investigation, assessment of income, imposition of penalty and filing of prosecution complaints, wherever applicable.

Disclosure of information regarding specific taxpayers is prohibited except as provided under section 138 of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Further, information received under the provisions of DTAAs/DTAC is governed, inter alia, by the confidentiality clause in such instruments.

Action against evasion of taxes/black money is an on-going process. Such action under direct tax laws includes searches, surveys, enquiries, assessment of income, levy of taxes, penalties and filing of prosecution complaints in criminal courts, wherever applicable.

This was stated by Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

Tax information exchange prompted investigations and enforcement under income-tax law, with confidentiality protections for taxpayer data. Action under the Income-tax Act, 1961 was initiated based on information received from foreign tax authorities under Double Taxation Avoidance instruments, prompting investigations, income assessments, levy of taxes and penalties, and prosecution complaints where applicable, while disclosure of taxpayer-specific information remains constrained by section 138 and the confidentiality clauses of DTAAs/DTACs.