'Keep interest of economy before interest of revenue': Sanjay Malhotra

Revenue secretary Sanjay Malhotra Wednesday asked revenue officials to exercise caution when issuing high-pitched demand notices to businesses and industries, asking them to keep the interest of the economy before the interest of the revenue.

"If in the process of garnering some small revenue, we are hurting the whole industry and economy of the country, that is certainly not the intent," Malhotra said at the 67th annual day of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). "Revenue comes in only if there is some income and so we have to be very cautious that in the process, as they say, 'do not kill the golden goose'," Malhotra said.

He asked the field formations to check with the policy wing whether the intent is evasion or whether it is because of interpretation issues before sending the "high-pitch" notice. "I would take this opportunity to ask all the members present here to be alert and keep the interest of the economy before the interest of the revenue," Malhotra said.


In case of smuggling and drug trafficking, he asked officers to focus energy on big fish and masterminds and bust syndicates in smuggling operations, while releasing the annual 'Smuggling in India' report.