Presumption as to books of account, etc., in certain cases

Section 35N of the Wealth-tax Act, 1957 deals with presumption as to books of account, etc., in certain cases. Where during the course of any search made under section 37A, any books of account or other documents, articles or things including money have been found in the possession or control of any person and such books of account or other documents are tendered, or such articles or things including money a The Act came into force on 01 Apr 1957.

(1) Where during the course of any search made under section 37A, any books of account or other documents, articles or things including money have been found in the possession or control of any person and such books of account or other documents are tendered, or such articles or things including money are relied upon, by the prosecution in evidence against such person or against such person and the person referred to in section 35F for an offence under this Act, the provisions of sub-section (5) of section 37A shall, so far as may be, apply in relation to such books of account or other documents, articles or things including money.

(2) Where—

(i) any books of account or other documents, taken into custody, from the possession or control of any person by any officer or authority under clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 37B, are delivered to the requisitioning officer under sub-section (2) of that section; or (ii) any note or inventory of any articles or things including money taken into custody, from the possession of any person, by any officer or authority under clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 37B, is furnished to the requisitioning officer under sub-section (2) of that section, and such books of account or other documents are tendered, or such note or inventory is relied upon, by the prosecution in evidence against such person or against such person and the person referred to in may be, apply in relation to such books of account or other documents or, as the case may be, the articles or things including money, covered by such note or inventory. [35-O. Presumption as to culpable mental state.—(1) In any prosecution for any offence under this Act which requires a culpable mental state on the part of the accused, the court shall presume the existence of such mental state but it shall be a defence for the accused to prove the fact that he had no such mental state with respect to the act charged as an offence in that prosecution.

Explanation.—In this sub-section, “culpable mental state” includes intention, motive or knowledge of a fact, or belief in, or reason to believe, a fact.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a fact is said to be proved only when the court believes it to exist beyond reasonable doubt and not merely when its existence is established by a preponderance of probability.]]

Section 35N, The Wealth-tax Act, 1957 (Act 27 of 1957).