The Income Tax Department keeps a keen eye on the Dahi handi being played in Mumbai, Thane and across the state, informed Income Tax department sources. Independent teams of the department will keep a close watch especially in Mumbai & Thane on the Price money transactions taking place in Dahi Handi. In Mumbai, the detective team of Income tax department and Police investigation team in Thane will monitor transaction.
The sources said, Income Tax department has received primary information that this year huge amount is going to be transacted in Dahi Handi, therefore the department is keeping keen eye especially in Thane & Mumbai. The notices will be issued to the Dahi Handi organizers and ask them to submit the detail accounting of Price money distributed by them.
To win the huge price amount for the tallest Dahi Handi, Many Dahi Handi Mandals in Thane & Mumbai have given special training to their participants. Many Organizers have announced big prize amount to break these tall Dahi Handi. Thane district is on the top to have big price money Dahi Handi. In the Thane district alone, there are five big Dahi Handi organizers and in Mumbai it is around 17.
Considering the large amount declared by these organizers, they are being watched by the Income Tax Department. Last year due to GST & Demonetization, many organizers could not give big price amount. The restriction by the court was also one of the reasons that Dahi Handi couldn’t be celebrated on a huge level as every year. But this year there is no such reason to restrict anything in the celebration, therefore large amount of money is going to be transacted this year.
Shivaji Pratishthan in Thane has announced Rs. 25 lakhs, Avinash Jadhav of Thane MNS has announced Rs. 21 lakhs, in Ghatkopar MLA Ram Kadam announced Rs. 25 lakhs for the Dahi Handi. The Dahi Handi in Ghatkopar is said to be the tallest handi of the country.
The Income Tax Department has taken note of these huge price amounts and will keep a keen eye on every transactions made by these organizers. Organizers will have to give details of everything like from where such huge amount is collected. The notices will be sent to these organizers post the celebration. It is also being said that often income tax departments use such festivals to complete their target as large amount of transactions take place here.
J. D. Tandel, Spokesperson, Income Tax Audit Organization
Many organizers announce huge price amounts but they do not keep any account for this money. Even the black money is used in such festivals. Therefore it is responsibility of Income Tax Department to scrutinize this transaction.
Shridhar Panchal, Coach, Salagn Balgopal Govinda Mandal, Ghodapdev
Although the Govinda Mandals receives price money from organizers but to win this price money, the Mandals have to spend lot of money on Dahi handi preparation. Dahi handi practice, the various things required for practice, medical help to Govinda, insurance cover, uniforms t-shirts, their food; all these things adds lot of cost to Mandal. Looking at this expenditure, the price money received from organizers is comparatively very less.
