Jaipur: The investigative wing of the IT department has launched a probe into large-scale agricultural land transactions in and around Jaipur using high-resolution satellite mapping to detect possible tax evasion in deals estimated at nearly Rs 7,000 crore.The department has so far issued summons to around 110 individuals who allegedly sold land worth crores of rupees but did not disclose the transactions in their income tax returns. According to senior investigative wing officials, the IT department is working with IIT Delhi to identify agricultural land located within or close to Jaipur municipal limits through satellite imagery.“The exercise aims to determine whether capital gains tax was applicable on such transactions under the Income Tax Act, 1961, particularly under Section 2(14)(iii), which defines when agricultural land qualifies as a capital asset for taxation purposes,” an official in the IT department said. Long-term capital gains tax is applicable if agricultural land is situated within municipal limits or within a specified distance, generally 6 to 8 km, from the boundaries of a municipality.“In several of the cases under scrutiny, however, sellers are suspected of treating such land as exempt agricultural property, neither reporting such transactions nor paying applicable taxes,” the official added. The 110 sellers summoned by the IT department have been asked to explain their sources of income, provide details of the land deals in question and explain why they did not disclose these transactions in their returns. This comes as the department is verifying land records, sale deeds and tax filings to determine the extent of undisclosed income and recover pending taxes, along with penalties where applicable.“After assessment, their capital gains income will be calculated and tax levied accordingly,” another official of the department said.Investigators using satellite imagery have identified 250 villages near Jaipur Municipal Corporation limits where large-scale land transactions took place with minimal or no tax compliance. “The total value of such deals over recent years could be around ₹7,000 crore,” the official added. Similar satellite-based investigations have been initiated in 14 other cities across the state as part of a broader effort to curb tax evasion in high-value land transactions, officials said.
