Maximise use of non-intrusive method of investigation: Arun Jaitley tells tax officials

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has exhorted income tax officers to maximise the use of innovative and non-intrusive methods of investigation. He impressed upon the need for skill development and up-gradation to keep pace with newer and innovative methodologies adopted to evade taxes.

Jaitley further emphasized that the department should equip itself with state of the art technological skills, including, in the area of analysis of digital evidence. Jaitley was addressing the meeting of Directors General of Income Tax (Investigation and Intelligence and Criminal Investigation) and Chief Commissioners of Income-Tax (Central) here yesterday. He observed that the quality of representation of cases of income tax department before various courts of law needs to be improved. He stressed upon devising mechanisms to attract the best talent and build expertise in the specialised subject of taxation.

Jaitley said there was also a need to impart training to middle level officers in order to improve their forensic skills to successfully deal with new tools of technology being used for evading payment of tax. He also called for taking steps to adopt and adapt to emerging methods of capacity building.