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2010 DIGILAW 116 (KER)

Commissioner Of Income Tax v. K. Abdul Gafoor, Kalliyath Iron

2010-02-08

C.N.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR, P.S.GOPINATHAN

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Judgment :- Ramachandran Nair, J. The question raised in the appeal filed by the revenue is whether he Tribunal is justified in allowing deduction of loss claimed by the assessee by way of discount in bidding kuries against business income. We have heard standing counsel appearing for the appellant and counsel appearing for the respondent-assessee. 2. The assessee is engaged in business in iron and steel. During the previous year, the assessee bid various kuries to raise funds which led to loss to him. The loss arising in the bidding of kuries at discounted price was claimed as deduction in the computation of business income under Section 36(1)(iii) of the Act. The assessing officer held that loss not being interest on borrowed funds is not an allowable deduction under Section 36(1) (iii) of the I.T. Act. 3. Even though the first appellate authority rejected the claim, in second appeal, the Tribunal allowed it by holding that but for the amount raised from chitty, the assessee would have had borrowed funds leading to payment of interest. Therefore according to Tribunal, the loss suffered in chitty is equal to the interest which is eligible for deduction under Section 36(1)(iii) of the Act. 4. Standing counsel submitted that what is allowable under Section 36(1)(iii) is interest from funds borrowed for business and not kuri loss. The next contention raised is that loss in kuri cannot be set off against income from business. Counsel appearing for the assessee on the other hand contended that assessee utilised the funds for business and so much so loss sustained in the bidding of kuries is similar to interest payable on borrowed funds and so much so it is allowable. Alternatively he contended that loss is a business expenditure allowable under Section 37(1) of the Act. 5. After hearing both sides and after going through the Tribunal's order, we are of the view that the Tribunal's finding that claim is allowable under Section 36(1)(iii) is not sustainable because anything equivalent to interest is not allowable as a deduction under Section 36 (1)(iii) of the Act. This provision specifically provides for deduction of interest paid for the funds borrowed for business purposes. However, if funds required for business are raised through other means and the same led to an expenditure including loss to the assessee, then certainly the same is an allowable deduction under Section 37(1) of the Act. This provision specifically provides for deduction of interest paid for the funds borrowed for business purposes. However, if funds required for business are raised through other means and the same led to an expenditure including loss to the assessee, then certainly the same is an allowable deduction under Section 37(1) of the Act. There is nothing on record to show that funds raised by bidding kuries at discounted price are utilised for business purposes to consider assessee's claim under Section 37(1) of the Act. However, in view of the contention of counsel for the respondent that funds are utilised only in business, we feel the assessee should be given an opportunity to establish his claim under Section 37(1) of the Act. We therefore allow the departmental appeal by setting aside the order of the tribunal and that of the first appellate authority and remand the matter to the assessing officer for considering assessee's claim under Section 37(1) after verifying utilisation of funds for business purposes and the actual expenditure by the assessee for raising the funds. The assessing officer will give an opportunity to the assessee to furnish details to substantiate his claim.