2018-09-30

Dr. X is a leading medical practitioner in a city. He has set up a charitable trust through which he plans to establish a super specialty hospital in the city to cater to the medical needs of all sections of the society. Incidentally, that part of the State had been neglected over the years. The proposed hospital would be a boon for the region. You are heading the tax investigation agency of that region. During an inspection of the doctor's clinic, your officers have found out some major irregularities. A few of them are substantial which had resulted in considerable withholding of tax  that should be paid by him now. The doctor is cooperative. He undertakes to pay the tax immediately.
However, there are certain other deficiencies in his tax compliance which are purely technical in nature. If these technical defaults are pursued by the agency, considerable time and energy of the doctor will be diverted to issues which are not so serious, urgent or even helpful to the tax collection process. Further, in all probability, it will hamper the prospects of the hospital coming up.
There are two options before you :
(i) Taking a broader view, ensure substantial tax compliance and ignore defaults that are merely technical in nature.
(ii) Pursue the matter strictly and proceed on all fronts, whether substantial or merely technical

As the head of the tax agency, which course of action will you opt for and why? (250 words)

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