Salaried individuals often need to file an Income Tax Return (ITR) just to claim a refund of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS). |

Key Highlights:

– Simple form to replace ITR for those below taxable limit.

– Refund form auto-filled from TDS data.

– Part of new Income Tax Bill 2025.

New Delhi: Salaried individuals often need to file an Income Tax Return (ITR) just to claim a refund of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS), even if their income is below the taxable limit. The government is now planning to simplify this process. The upcoming Income Tax Bill 2025 includes provisions for this initiative.

What Does the Committee Recommend?

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the select committee believes that filing an ITR just to claim a TDS refund is unnecessary and burdensome for individuals with income below the taxable threshold. The panel has recommended that taxpayers should be able to claim refunds by filling a simple form based on their Form 26AS.

A Simple Form Will Replace ITR Filing

Instead of filing a full ITR, a new, easy-to-fill form will be introduced. This form will automatically pull TDS data from Form 26AS. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is in the process of designing this new form, aimed at speeding up the process and removing the need to file a complete return.

Major Relief for Low-Income Earners

Under the new tax regime, individuals with an annual salary up to ₹12.75 lakh and with proper tax documentation are not required to pay any tax. However, companies often deduct TDS in the absence of submitted documents. In such cases, individuals are currently forced to file ITRs just to claim refunds. This burden is expected to be lifted soon.

Access to Digital Data and Transparency

The committee has also made recommendations on data access. The new bill will clarify that income tax officers can access taxpayer’s digital devices, records, and income-expenditure data to ensure transparency in tax administration.

This rule is likely to come into effect from April 1, 2026, after the Income Tax Bill is passed in the 2025-26 budget session of Parliament.

Known worldwide as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’, Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 36, died on Saturday, July 19, after being in coma, for nearly two decades.

“The Global Imams Council extends its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the esteemed Royal Family, on the passing of Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, who passed away after a long struggle that lasted nearly twenty years following a tragic accident,” the Global Imams Council (GIC) said.

It added, “As we share the grief of the Royal Family on this solemn occasion, we recall with deep respect the patience and steadfastness demonstrated by his father, Prince Khaled bin Talal, and his family as a testament to their profound faith in the will and decree of Allah. We pray that the Almighty Allah envelops the late Prince with His vast mercy, grants him a place in eternal Paradise, and bestows patience and solace upon his family and loved ones.”

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What happened to Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled? Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled sustained a brain hemorrhage along with internal bleeding following a traumatic brain injury during a car accident when he was studying in London.

He was taken to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and put on a ventilator. His family brought in medical specialists from around the world to evaluate his condition and attempt to revive him, but he never regained consciousness. Although his family sometimes noticed slight movements that offered hope, his condition remained unchanged for 20 years, Khaleej Times reported.

Although Al-Waleed never fully regained consciousness, his father regularly shared videos capturing subtle physical movements, like the raising of his hands or fingers and chose to keep him on life support. He and other family members prayed for his son’s recovery.

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In a fresh case of cyber fraud, a 46-year-old Mumbai-based IT official has been duped of a staggering Rs. 91.67 lakh in an online investment scam. A case has been registered and cyber police are currently investigating the matter. The culprits behind the fraud remain unidentified.

According to the victim, the entire ordeal began after she came across videos of finance influencer Rachana Ranade on social media. These videos allegedly promoted lucrative investment opportunities through a link shared in the post. After clicking the link, the victim was added to a WhatsApp group, Hindustan Times reports, where several users appeared to be making significant profits through similar investments.

The group regularly shared investment tips and encouraged newcomers to participate. On reaching out to the group admin, the victim was reportedly sent a link to download a mobile app, suspiciously named after a well-known multinational bank. Initially, she invested a small amount and received a 15 percent return almost immediately. To add credibility, the scammers provided fake acknowledgements from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and even credited profits to her bank account, making the entire process look legitimate.

Encouraged by the early returns, she proceeded to invest multiple times, transferring a total of Rs. 57.67 lakh to various bank accounts. The app reflected a growing profit, eventually showing a whopping Rs. 4 crore in returns. However, when she tried to withdraw the amount on June 3, she was asked to pay Rs. 34 lakh as a service charge and an additional Rs. 40 lakh as a security deposit.

Even after making these payments, no money was credited back to her. It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a meticulously planned scam, losing a total of Rs. 91.67 lakh. The police have registered a case and launched an investigation, the report confirms.

Mumbai News: Tour Organiser Arrested By Dindoshi Police For Cheating Freelance Tour Managers Of Lakhs | Representational Image

Mumbai: A tour organiser was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly duping 11 freelance tour managers by promising them overseas assignments in Europe and Dubai and collecting lakhs of rupees under the guise of travel and visa arrangements.

According to Dindoshi police, the accused, Viral Ashwin Thakkar, took Rs 7.28 lakh from each tour manager under the pretext of booking flight tickets and later demanded an additional Rs 8 lakh per person for what he claimed were new visa insurance regulations, as reported by Hindustan Times.

One of the victims, Keval Atul Gala, a Malad resident, works as a freelance tour manager along with nine others at a private tour agency. In April, Gala learned from his colleague Viraj Bhatada that he had been offered a tour management job in Europe by Thakkar. Subsequently, Gala and his colleagues also approached Thakkar, who assured them of similar job opportunities.

On May 7, Thakkar called the group to a visa office in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), but he never showed up. When the promised arrangements didn’t materialise and suspicions grew, Gala and the other victims cancelled the tour and began demanding a refund. However, Thakkar failed to return the money, according to the report.

Following Gala’s complaint, Thakkar was booked by Dindoshi police for fraud and embezzlement in May. He absconded from the city and remained untraceable for about one and a half months.

A police official stated, “After a search operation, Thakkar, who had been absconding for one and a half months, was arrested.” During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to cheating the tour managers. Thakkar was presented before the Borivali court and has been remanded to police custody for four days.

Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, known globally as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’, passed away on Saturday, July 19, after spending nearly 20 years in a coma. He was 36. Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled, also known as Saudi Arabia’s ‘Sleeping Prince’ has died after two decades in coma(X)

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Prince Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, his father, confirmed the news of his son’s passing. He wrote, “O reassured soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing [to Him], and enter My Paradise… With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow, we mourn our beloved son.”

According to a Khaleej Times report, Prince Alwaleed has been in a coma since 2005 following a severe car accident while studying at a military academy in London. A brain hemorrhage during surgery left him unresponsive for the remainder of his life.

Prince Alwaleed’s funeral details

The report added that funeral prayers will be held on July 20, Sunday. For men, it will be held after Asr prayer at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh. The service for women will be held after Dhuhr prayer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

Meanwhile, condolences will be accepted over three days from July 20 to July 22. Men can visit Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Palace in the Al-Fakhriyah district while women can visit the palace after Maghrib prayer.

A father’s devotion

The report stated that Prince Khaled bin Talal, Alwaleed’s father, hoped for his son’s recovery and refused to withdraw life support over the years. Throughout sacred Islamic occasions, from the final nights of Ramadan to Eid, he offered heartfelt prayers for his son, often sharing emotional updates and invocations on X.

As per the report, in June this year, on the third day of Eid al-Adha, Prince Khaled visited Alwaleed with his other sons and pleaded publicly for his recovery.

After his accident, Prince Alwaleed was admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh and placed on a ventilator. His family called in medical experts from around the globe to assess his condition and hopefully revive him, but he never regained consciousness. While his family occasionally saw small movements that gave them hope, his condition remained the same for 20 years, the Khaleej Times report added.

FAQs:

1. Who was Prince Alwaleed bin Khaled?

He was a Saudi royal known as the “Sleeping Prince”, who remained in a coma for 20 years following a car accident in 2005.

2. What caused his coma?

He suffered a brain hemorrhage after a traumatic brain injury during a car accident while studying in London.

3. Where and when will the funeral be held?

The funeral prayer for men will take place at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh on July 20, after the Asr prayer. Women’s prayers will be held at King Faisal Specialist Hospital after Dhuhr.

4. Where will condolences be received?

Condolences will be received at Prince Alwaleed’s palace in Al-Fakhriyah and at Al-Fakhriyah Palace for women, from Sunday through Tuesday.