Income Tax dept attaches 900 benami properties worth over Rs 35 billion

The Income Tax (I-T) Department on Thursday said it has attached more than 900 benami properties including flats, shops, jewellery and vehicles worth over Rs 35 billion.
I-T Department said in a statement that it has stepped up action under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, which came into force from November 1, 2016.
The Act provides for provisional attachment and subsequent confiscation of benami properties, whether movable or immovable.

It also allows for prosecution of the beneficial owner, the benamidar and the abettor to benami transactions, which may result in rigorous imprisonment up to 7 years and a fine of up to 25 per cent of fair market value of the property.

The department had set up 24 dedicated Benami Prohibition Units (BPUs) under its Investigation Directorates all over India in May, 2017 to ensure swift action in respect of Benami properties.
"Due to intensive efforts undertaken by the Department, provisional attachment has been made in more than 900 cases of properties under the Act. These include plots of land, flats, shops, jewellery, vehicles, deposits in bank accounts, fixed deposits etc," the statement said.

The value of properties under attachment is more than Rs 35 billion including immovable properties of more than Rs 29 billion, the department said.
Benami literally means 'without a name'. An asset without a legal owner or a fictitious owner is called benami.