Income Tax Notice Shocks Madhya Pradesh Cook: A Case of Mistaken Identity?
Ravinder Singh Chauhan, a 30-year-old cook at a dhaba in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district, found himself in an extraordinary predicament when he received an alarming income tax notice for a staggering Rs 46 crore. “I work at a dhaba. My account doesn’t see even Rs 3 lakh in transactions throughout the year,” Chauhan expressed in disbelief.
A senior police officer confirmed receipt of Chauhan’s complaint, stating, “We got the complaint and are deciding on the next course of action.” Chauhan’s lawyer, Advocate Pradhuman Singh Bhadoriya, highlighted that this unusual situation stems from Chauhan’s past employment as a mess helper at a toll plaza on the Gwalior bypass in November 2019. There, he was instructed by his supervisor to provide his bank details and Aadhaar card for his provident fund account.
“I had to leave school after sixth grade because of our family’s financial condition,” Chauhan explained when addressing why he felt compelled to share his banking information. After eight months of waiting for his provident fund money and other incentives, he was unable to close the bank account. Tragically, his employment ended when the toll plaza contract expired in 2023, forcing him to seek work in Pune.
The saga began when the first income tax notice landed at Chauhan’s home on April 9, 2025. Written in English, the notice was unintelligible to him and his wife, prompting them to ignore it. When a second notice arrived on July 25, Chauhan decided to investigate the matter further. “I came back from Pune to find out what it was about,” he recounted.
The Income Tax department’s Gwalior branch stated in its notice that “income chargeable to tax has escaped assessment to the extent of Rs 46,18,32,916 for the F.Y 2020-21 relevant to the A.Y: 2021-22. Therefore, the case of the assessee is found to be a fit case for issuance of notice.”
After collaborating with his lawyer for over a month, Chauhan pieced together what might have occurred. “The account opened seven years ago had been continuously used for massive financial transactions,” he alleged. “Even after I asked for it to be closed, someone continued using it.”
Chauhan has since filed a police complaint regarding the matter, but has faced further setbacks. “They’re telling me the crime happened in Delhi, so I should file one there,” he remarked in frustration. This case highlights the complexities and potential pitfalls of financial documentation and identity management, leaving the question of accountability hanging in the air for Chauhan.
