Amended and updated notes on section 277A of Income Tax Act 1961 as amended by the Finance Act 2022 and Income-tax Rules, 1962. Detail discussion on provisions and rules related to Falsification of books of account or document, etc.
Chapter XXII (Sections 275A to 280D) of the Income Tax Act 1961 deals with the provisions related to offences and prosecutions. Section 277A of IT Act 1961 provides for Falsification of books of account or document, etc.
Recently, we have discussed in detail section 277 (False statement in verification, etc.) of IT Act 1961. Today, we learn the provisions of section 277A of Income-tax Act 1961. The amended provision of section 277A is effective for financial year 2022-23 relevant to the assessment year 2023-24.
In this article, you will learn detail of the provisions of section 277A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 Bare Act read with the Income-tax Rules, 1962 as provided by Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India.
Section-277A: Falsification of books of account or document
If any person (hereafter in this section referred to as the first person) wilfully and with intent to enable any other person (hereafter in this section referred to as the second person) to evade any tax or interest or penalty chargeable and imposable under this Act, makes or causes to be made any entry or statement which is false and which the first person either knows to be false or does not believe to be true, in any books of account or other document relevant to or useful in any proceedings against the first person or the second person, under this Act, the first person shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years and with fine.
Explanation: For the purposes of establishing the charge under this section, it shall not be necessary to prove that the second person has actually evaded any tax, penalty or interest chargeable or imposable under this Act.