I made a large cash deposit in my bank account and now I have received a tax query about it

Question

I deposited a significant amount of cash into my savings account and now the tax department has sent me a query asking to explain the source, and I am not sure what to submit. I would like to understand which provision governs this, what it entitles me to, and how long I have before the remedy lapses. I also want to know whether I need a lawyer for this or can do it myself.

MyVakeel Legal Desk · Accepted Answer

In India, the answer to "I made a large cash deposit in my bank account and now I have received a tax query about it" turns on Income-tax Act, 1961, Section 68, Income-tax Act, 1961, Section 115BBE and Income-tax Act, 2025. The points below set out the position and then what to do about it, in the order it should be done.

Section 68 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 allows the assessing officer to treat any sum credited in your books, including a bank account treated as part of your books for this purpose, as unexplained cash credit and add it to your taxable income if you fail to satisfactorily explain the nature and source of the credit, placing the initial burden on you to explain large or unusual cash deposits once questioned.

To satisfactorily explain a cash deposit, you generally need to establish the identity of the source, the genuineness of the transaction, and where relevant the creditworthiness of the person providing the funds, through documents such as sale deeds, prior cash withdrawal records showing the same cash was redeposited, business sale records, or a gift deed and the donor's financial capacity if the deposit represents a gift.

If a cash credit is treated as unexplained under Section 68, it is taxed at a steep flat rate under Section 115BBE, without the benefit of the basic exemption limit, Chapter VI-A deductions, or set-off against any loss, making an inadequately explained cash deposit significantly more costly than if the same amount had simply been declared as ordinary income in the first place.

You should respond to any such query promptly and specifically, providing a clear source-wise breakup of the deposit rather than a generic explanation, since a well-documented, source-specific response substantially reduces the risk of the deposit being treated as unexplained cash credit under Section 68.

Practical steps: 1) Prepare a clear source-wise explanation for the cash deposit; 2) Gather supporting documents such as withdrawal records, sale deeds or gift deeds; 3) Respond to the query within the deadline with specific evidence; 4) Avoid vague or unsupported explanations that invite further scrutiny.

If the other side has already issued a notice, filed a case or set a deadline, treat the matter as time-sensitive — remedies under Income-tax Act, 1961, Section 68 carry limitation periods, and unexplained delay weakens an otherwise strong case. You can post the details on the MyVakeel forum for a practising advocate to review, or book a paid consultation with a Bar Council verified lawyer in tax law.