The Income Tax Department carried out a search and seizure operation on 24.08.2021 on a group based in Rajkot. The group is among Gujarat’s prominent real estate builders & developers and is actively engaged in real estate, construction and land trading businesses in and around Rajkot. More than 40 premises were covered in the operation. 

During the course of search and seizure operation many incriminating documents, loose sheets, digital evidences etc. were seized indicating involvement of the group in unaccounted transactions. Substantial evidence of transactions outside the regular books of accounts, unaccounted cash expenses, cash advances received and interest paid in cash, has been found. Evidence of on-money payments in real estate projects-flats, shops and land deals has also been found. Total unaccounted cash receipts in various projects of approximately ₹ 350 crore have been unearthed alongwith corroborative evidences. Further, evidence related to land purchase of approximately ₹ 154 crore has also been found, out of which, ₹ 144 crore was purportedly paid in cash.

Overall, the search and seizure operation has resulted in detection of concealment of income in excess of ₹ 300 crore spread over various assessment years, which is likely to go up. Unaccounted cash of more than ₹ 6.40 crore and jewellery amounting to ₹ 1.70 crore has been seized from different premises. Furthermore, promissory notes to the tune of ₹ 4 crore have also been found and seized. 25 lockers have been found during the course of the search operation which have been put under prohibitory orders. The search operation is still continuing. 

Further investigations are in progress.

Search and seizure uncovers alleged unaccounted real estate transactions and cash payments, prompting ongoing tax investigation. Search and seizure on 24 August 2021 at a Rajkot real estate group covered over 40 premises and yielded documents and digital evidence of transactions outside books, unaccounted cash expenses, cash advances and cash interest payments, and on money payments in real estate projects. Authorities identified approximately Rs. 350 crore in unaccounted cash receipts, evidence of land purchases around Rs. 154 crore with large cash payments, concealment of income in excess of Rs. 300 crore, seizure of cash, jewellery and promissory notes, and 25 lockers under prohibitory orders; investigations continue.