• About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News
  • Epaper
  • Odisha
  • Twin City
  • National
  • World
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
  • Epaper
  • Odisha
  • Twin City
  • National
  • World
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Pragativadi I Latest Odisha News in English I Breaking News
No Result
View All Result

Home » Is the government allowed to read your WhatsApp chats under existing income tax laws?

Is the government allowed to read your WhatsApp chats under existing income tax laws?

Ananya Pattnaik by Ananya Pattnaik
April 5, 2025
in Tech, Trending Now
Reading Time: 1 min read
0 0
0
Income tax
0
SHARES
72
VIEWS

This week, FM Nirmala Sitharaman defended the provisions of the new income tax bill, which allows an authorised officer to “break open the lock of any door, box, locker, safe, almirah, or other receptacle for exercising the powers conferred by clause (i), to enter and search any building, place, etc., where the keys thereof or the access to such building, place, etc., is not available; or gain access by overriding the access code to any said computer system or virtual digital space, where the access code thereof is not available.”


Clause 247 of the Income Tax Bill, which will be effective starting April 1, 2026, allows authorised officers to do so only if they have information and reason to believe that the individual in concern owns undisclosed income, property, or documents that they would willfully not reveal in a bid to evade income tax.

Defending the need to include digital spaces and virtual realms under the ambit of search and seizure for income tax purposes, Sitharaman highlighted that such provisions are not new and currently exist under Section 132 of the I-T Act, 1961. However, presently, the section only covers physical assets and books of accounts, leaving digital assets and documents out of its coverage.

Noting how WhatsApp messages had already helped the government uncover Rs 200 crore worth of unaccounted funds linked to crypto, Sitharaman also underlined how Google Maps history and Instagram accounts have been instrumental in identifying cash hideouts and “benami” properties like luxury cars.

 

Tags: Income taxIncome tax billlatest newswhatsapp
Previous Post

BJP Denies Allegations of Rs 1.32 Crore Bribe from Arrested BJD Leader Raja Chakra

Next Post

Recession warning issued Trump’s tariff rollout sparks global market crash

Ananya Pattnaik

Ananya Pattnaik

Related Posts

Fake Government Job Scam
Odisha

Cuttack Cyber Cops Bust Fake Govt Job Racket; 1 Held

July 26, 2025
Odisha Sanitation Workers Welfare Scheme
Odisha

Odisha CM Launches Sanitation Workers Welfare Scheme with Rs 40 Lakh Support

July 26, 2025
Odisha Rainfall
Odisha

Depression Over Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh Spurs Widespread Showers in Odisha

July 26, 2025
Next Post
Recession

Recession warning issued Trump’s tariff rollout sparks global market crash

Odisha

Indian FTOs Urge Odisha to Ease Rs 100 Cr Turnover Norm to Bid for Dhenkanal Aviation Centre

BJD

Waqf Bill Fallout: BJD’s Pratap Jena Demands Disciplinary Action Against MP Sasmit Patra

Follow Us

Recommended

After citizenship snub, Lalit Modi shares photo from ‘beautiful country’ Vanuatu

After citizenship snub, Lalit Modi shares photo from ‘beautiful country’ Vanuatu

5 months ago
Odisha Diarrhea Situation

Odisha Diarrhoea Situation Under Control, Confirms Health Minister

1 month ago
Piyush Tripathy

Piyush Tripathy Challenges Jatra Owners’ Association with Ultimatum

3 weeks ago
Bahuda Yatra

Puri’s Gundicha Temple to Close at 6 PM Today Ahead of Bahuda Yatra Rituals

3 weeks ago

Instagram

    Please install/update and activate JNews Instagram plugin.

Highlights

Depression Over Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh Spurs Widespread Showers in Odisha

Odisha Scraps Old Metro Tender, Plans Fresh Proposal for Bhubaneswar Project

Orissa High Court Pulls Up Authorities Over Waterlogging and Mismanagement in Cuttack

Supreme Court Issues 15 Nationwide Guidelines to Prevent Student Suicides

CRPF Foils Maoist Bomb Plot in Sukma, 4 Arrested

Several Die As Israeli-induced Hunger & Famine Deepens in Gaza! Infants and Children Starve 

Trending

Anti-Doping Workshop India 2025
Sports

NADA & WADA Team Up to Empower Anti-Doping Investigators

by Itishree Sethy
July 26, 2025
0

India marked another key milestone in international sports integrity efforts by hosting the second edition of the...

Fake Government Job Scam

Cuttack Cyber Cops Bust Fake Govt Job Racket; 1 Held

July 26, 2025
Odisha Sanitation Workers Welfare Scheme

Odisha CM Launches Sanitation Workers Welfare Scheme with Rs 40 Lakh Support

July 26, 2025
Odisha Rainfall

Depression Over Jharkhand & Chhattisgarh Spurs Widespread Showers in Odisha

July 26, 2025
Bhubaneswar metro

Odisha Scraps Old Metro Tender, Plans Fresh Proposal for Bhubaneswar Project

July 26, 2025
Facebook Twitter Youtube RSS

ABOUT US

News, as it should be covered, has been the forte of Pragativadi over the years. And this has ensured a classy readership encompassing the who’s who of the state. The people who matter in Odisha, depend on Pragativadi. For opinion leaders, decision makers and people with surplus disposable income Pragativadi is a must.

Follow us on social media:

Blog

The Chinese smartphone upstarts taking on Apple and Samsung

by pragativadinewsservice
January 11, 2025
0

Presidential Train Now Available For Jakartans Traveling To Bandung

by pragativadinewsservice
January 10, 2025
0

News Calendar

July 2025
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Jun    

© 2025 Pragativadi

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Epaper
  • Odisha
  • Twin City
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • National
  • World
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel

© 2025 Pragativadi