Income Tax Raid, Search and Seizure: What, When, How

Under section 132, Income Tax Raids or Search and Seizure operations are carried out by senior Income Tax officials, such as the Principal Director General, Director General, Chief Commissioner, etc., when they believe that a person holds entirely or partly undisclosed income, property or valuable items like cash, jewellery, etc. Also, if the person does not respond to the Income Tax Department’s notices or summons or believes that he won’t respond, he can come under the purview of search and seizure operations of the Income Tax Department. During the course of a Raid, the Income Tax officials can enter and search the premises, break the locks, search any person or seize assets. The objective of conducting an Income Tax Raid is to combat black money in the country.

What is Black Money?

Black money is funds earned illegally on which income and other taxes have not been paid. The unaccounted money hoarded illegally and concealed from the tax authorities is also called black money. So, one mustn't keep any unaccounted or undeclared money, jewellery or any wealth. In the event of such non-declaration, the chances of the income tax authorities conducting a raid on the taxpayer will be pretty high. Therefore, the taxpayer also needs to safeguard himself while possessing someone else's money, ensuring that those are accounted for.

What Happens during a Search and Seizure? 

The Senior Income Tax officials have the power to take the following actions during a search and seizure operation:

1. Entry and Inspection: Senior income tax officials can enter and search any place, building, aircraft, or vehicle where they suspect undisclosed items like cash, jewellery, property, or documents to be hidden.
2. Break Locks: If keys are not available of the place under search, the income tax officials have the power to break open the locks.
3. Search Persons: The income tax officials can search any person present at, entering or leaving the place under search.
4. Seizure of Evidence: Income tax officials have the power to seize cash, jewellery, books of accounts, or documents related to property/ income.
5. Recording Statements: Any person found with the documents, undisclosed assets, or income can be interrogated under oath, and the statements are recorded and used as evidence against them during income tax proceedings.
6. Freezing Bank Accounts: The income tax officials can also direct the banks to freeze the bank account of the assessee that is believed to contain undisclosed income so that the assessee can not transfer funds from the bank account.
7. Access Electronic Records: Tax officials have the power to access computers, mobile phones, and other devices that can help them collect evidence against the assessee. 
8. Seize Assets: The income tax authorities can seize undisclosed assets, such as cash, jewellery, gold, etc., and documents related to undisclosed property.
9. Mark and Copy Documents: The tax officials can mark the documents as proof of evidence that these documents were found during the raid process. Some documents that need to be used in the business cannot be seized and can be taken as a copy of the original document as proof of the evidence.
10. Assessment and Tax Recovery: After the income tax raid, the income tax officials assess the assessee's total income, property, and wealth, both undisclosed and disclosed. The assessee is issued a notice to file an Income Tax Return for the previous six assessment years immediately preceding the Assessment year in which the income tax raid has been conducted or the relevant assessment years. After the tax officials assess the undisclosed and disclosed income after the raid, they calculate the total tax liability of the assessee. The significant penalties, interest, and prosecution can be charged against the assessee for underdisclosing income or assets.

When does a Raid Happen?

An income tax raid, technically known as the process of Search and Seizure, is one of the crucial weapons that the Income-tax department possesses to check black money. It is a measure that is known to be constitutionally valid too. A raid gets triggered under any of the following circumstances:

• Credible information of tax evasion; for instance, any evasion coming out of reports received from the Intelligence Wing of the Income tax department.
• Information coming from government departments.
• Information procured from assessment records of taxpayers.
• Information received with regard to spending being disproportionate to the income of the taxpayer i.e. an instance of lavish spending without corresponding income to match the same.
• Manipulation of books of accounts, vouchers, invoices etc.
• Illegal investment in real estate.
• Unexplained cash credits, share transactions etc.
• To fight the menace of unreported and illegal funds, safeguard the law, and ensure compliance with tax laws.

Who is Authorised to Conduct an IT Raid?

Section 132 (1) of the Income Tax Act provides that Additional Director, Additional Commissioner, Joint Director, Assistant Commissioner, Assistant Director, Dy Director, or Asstt. Commissioner or Dy. A Tax Search shall be conducted by a Commissioner or any other Income Tax Officer, with the authorization of the Principal Director General, Director General, Principal Director, Director, Principal Chief Commissioner, Principal Commissioner, or Commissioner.

To conduct a tax raid, the authorizing officer will do so if he has a "reason to believe" that

• A taxpayer has failed to comply with any summons or notices sent to him by the Department or
• He has in his possession money, and secondly, such money represents either wholly or partly income or property which has not been disclosed.

It has been held by various courts that the taxpayer being searched ideally does not have the right to get access to information based on which the search has been initiated by the department, considering that this would hamper the department's investigation process. Only the High Courts and the Supreme Court have the right to do so.

Assets that can be Seized

The authorized officials can seize the following types of assets:

• Undeclared cash, jewellery
• Books of accounts, challan, diaries, etc.
• Computer chips and other data storage devices
• Documents relating to property, deed of conveyances, etc.
• Any Private Building Or Land 
• All types of Vehicle 
• Bank And Financial Lockers
• Securities , Bonds Or Shares 

Assets that cannot be Seized

The authorized officials cannot seize the following types of assets:

• Stock-in-trade (except cash) of a business
• Assets or cash that are disclosed before the Income Tax and Wealth Tax Department
• Assets declared in the books of account
• Cash which are duly explained
• Jewellery provided in wealth tax return
• Gold up to 500 gm for each married lady and 250 gm for each unmarried woman, and 100gm per male member

Rights of a Person during a Tax Raid

• To insist on a personal search of ladies being taken only by a lady, with strict regard to decency
• To have at least two respectable and independent residents of the locality as witnesses
• A lady occupying an apartment being searched has a right to withdraw before the search party enters, if, according to custom, she does not appear in public
• To call a medical practitioner in case of emergency
• To allow the children to go to school after checking their bags
• To have the facility of having meals, etc. at the usual time
• To inspect the seals placed on various receptacles, sealed in the course of search and subsequently at the time of reopening of the seals
• To have a copy of the panchanama together with all the annexures
• To have a copy of any statement that is used against him by the Department
• To have inspection of the seized books of account, etc., or to take extracts therefrom in the presence of any of the authorized officers or any other person empowered by him
• The assessee may avail his or her right to a search warrant and the raid must take place in front of two witnesses so that no planting of evidence or tampering occurs
•  An assessee must provide truthful answers to the queries of the income tax official. The statements made by an assessee under oath can be used as evidence. Being silent to the queries of the income tax officials can bring adverse inferences to the assessee, but no assessee can be coerced into confessing the undisclosed asset or income

Rights of a Person after a Tax Raid

The person from whose custody any books of account or other documents are seized may make copies thereof or take extracts therefrom in the presence of any of the authorized officers or any other person empowered by him. An aggrieved person can file a writ petition before the High Court challenging the raid, if he feels that the action of the department was unfair. He can also challenge the assessment and file an appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeal).

Duties of a Person during a Raid

• To allow free and unhindered ingress into the premises
• To identify all receptacles in which assets or books of account and documents are kept and to hand over keys to such receptacles to the authorized officer
• To identify and explain the ownership of the assets, books of account and documents found in the premises
• To identify every individual in the premises and to explain their relationship to the person being searched. He should not mislead by impersonation. If he cheats by pretending to be some other person or knowingly substitutes one person for another, it is an offence punishable under section 416 of the Indian Penal Code
• Not to allow or encourage the entry of any unauthorized person into the premises
• Not to remove any article from its place without notice or knowledge of the authorized officer. If he destroys any document with the intention of preventing the same from being produced or used as evidence before the court or public servant, he shall be punishable with imprisonment or fine or both, in accordance with section 204 of the Indian Penal Code
• To answer all queries truthfully and to the best of his knowledge. He should not allow any third party to either interfere or prompt, while his statement is being recorded by the authorized officer
• Being legally bound by an oath or affirmation to state the truth. If he makes a false statement, he shall be punishable with imprisonment or fine or both under section 181 of the Indian Penal Code
• Similarly, if he provides evidence which is false and which he knows or believes to be false, he is liable to be punished under section 191 of the Indian Penal Code
• To affix his signature on the recorded statement, inventories and the panchanama
• To ensure that peace is maintained throughout the search process, and to cooperate with the search party in all respects so that the search action is concluded at the earliest and in a peaceful manner. 
• Similar co-operation should be extended even after the search action is over, so as to enable the authorized officer to complete necessary follow-up investigations at the earliest.

Procedure for Assessees who have been Raided Wrongly

In the event that an assessee considers the raid unjust or that the income tax department has erroneously conducted a raid, they can challenge the raid by filing a writ petition with the High Court. Another option available to the assessee is to challenge or appeal the raid or assessment made by the authorities before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) if they believe they have been unfairly targeted.

Upon conducting the seizure of all relevant documentation or undisclosed property under suspicion, the Income Tax Department has the right to re-conduct an assessment for six years leading up to the conclusion of the raid for any valid reason it deems necessary. 

How can one Prevent Raid?

• The Assessee is required to maintain all necessary records and books of account.
• The Assessee is required to file tax returns on time and pay any due taxes.
• The Assessee is required to furnish any information and documents demanded by the tax authorities through summonses and notices.

Reasons for Income Tax Raids

Income tax raids are typically conducted when the department has credible evidence or intelligence indicating undisclosed income or assets exceeding ₹1 crore, or involvement in illegal activities such as smuggling, fraud, or terrorism.

Raids may also be triggered by confirmed reports of lavish expenditures (e.g., on weddings), seizures by enforcement agencies, tip-offs from informers or close associates, and verified data from tax assessments or intelligence departments, ensuring that action is based on fact rather than assumption.

An Income Tax Search V/S Survey 

An Income Tax Search and Survey are both tools used to investigate tax evasion, but they differ significantly in scope, authority, and procedure. A search aims to uncover undisclosed income or assets and can be conducted at any location and time, including homes and vehicles, with the power to seize documents and assets and record statements under oath. It requires approval from senior authorities. In contrast, a survey is limited to business premises during business hours, focuses on gathering information about declared activities, and does not permit seizures—only inspection and copying of records. Physical searches of individuals are also not allowed during surveys. 

Conclusion 

Income Tax Authorities are given the power to search and seize, and they exercise this power judiciously after conducting preliminary inquiry and procuring preliminary information. Never give false information to an assessee, and prior to answering any query, verify the books of accounts or other supportive documents if you have any doubt regarding any information, particularly accounting information of earlier years. Moreover, the assessee should cooperate with income tax authorities during the search and follow-up process and be made aware of their rights and obligations in case of an income tax survey or search. It is advisable to seek expert advice if you are not sure or apprehensive about something.