DNA: New Delhi: Monday, April
17, 2017.
The email
address launched by the Finance Ministry for getting tips about black money
received over 38,000 emails, but only 16 per cent of them were forwarded for
further inquiry, CBDT said in a reply to an RTI query earlier this month.
Jitendra
Ghadge, a city-based Right To Information activist, had asked for information
about response to the email address `blackmoneyinfo@incometax.gov.in', launched
last December.
The Central
Board of Direct Taxes said in its reply dated April 7 that 38,068 emails were
received, and 6,050 or about 16 per cent of them were forwarded to the
respective Director Generals Of Income Tax (Investigation) for further inquiry.
The remaining
32,018 emails were closed without any action, it said.
To Ghadge's
query about number of "false" emails received, CBDT said this
information was "subject to completion of investigation".
In December
last year, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia announced launch of the email
address blackmoneyinfo@incometax.gov.in for whistle blowers.
"Over 84
per cent tip-offs have been closed without any inquiry. This shows that either
most emails were frivolous, or the authorities did not take them seriously, or
may be shortage of staff forced them to do so," Ghadge said.
Ghadge had
also filed another RTI query seeking number of demonetised notes deposited with
RBI after January 1, 2017.
However, the
Central bank refused to furnish the information, citing exemption under the RTI
Act.