Income Tax Act, 1961
Sch. II Part V Rule 73. NOTICE TO SHOW CAUSE.
(1) No order for the arrest and detention in civil prison of a defaulter shall be made unless the Tax Recovery Officer has issued and served a notice upon the defaulter calling upon him to appear before him on the date specified in the notice and to show cause why he should not be committed to the civil prison, and unless the Tax Recovery Officer for reasons recorded in writing is satisfied – (a) That the defaulter, with the object or effect of obstructing the execution of the certificate, has, after the drawing up of the certificate by the Tax Recovery Officer, dishonestly transferred, concealed or removed any part of his property; or
(b) That the defaulter has, or has had since the drawing up of the certificate by the Tax Recovery Officer, the means to pay the arrears or some substantial part thereof and refuses or neglects or has refused or neglected to pay the same.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), a warrant for the arrest of the defaulter may be issued by the Tax Recovery Officer if the Tax Recovery Officer is satisfied, by affidavit or otherwise, that with the object or effect of delaying the execution of the certificate the defaulter is likely to abscond or leave the local limits of the jurisdiction of the Tax Recovery Officer.
(3) Where appearance is not made in obedience to a notice issued and served under sub-rule (1), the Tax Recovery Officer may issue a warrant for the arrest of the defaulter.
(3A) A warrant of arrest issued by a Tax Recovery Officer under sub-rule (2) or sub-rule (3) may also be executed by any other Tax Recovery Officer within whose jurisdiction the defaulter may for the time being be found.
(4) Every person arrested in pursuance of a warrant of arrest under this rule shall be brought before the Tax Recovery Officer issuing the warrant as soon as practicable and in any event within twenty-four hours of his arrest (exclusive of the time required for the journey) :
Provided that, if the defaulter pays the amount entered in the warrant of arrest as due and the costs of the arrest to the officer arresting him, such officer shall at once release him.
Explanation : For the purposes of this rule, where the defaulter is a Hindu undivided family, the Karta thereof shall be deemed to be the defaulter.
