The Indian government on Saturday issued a clarification and “fact check” on a social media influencer’s video on who actually needs an Income Tax Clearance Certificate when traveling abroad. But influencer Sarthak Ahuja hit back and said that his video was not misleading.
The government’s Press Information Bureau posted his video on Twitter with a “fake” label and wrote: “An Instagram video by the account (@casarthakahja) is claiming that all Indian citizens will have to obtain an Income Tax Clearance Certificate (ITCC) every time before leaving the country. This claim is fake.”
What does PIB say?
This was added. “Under section 230 [of the Income Tax Act, 1961]Tax clearance certificates are not mandatory for everyone; They are only required for specific individuals in certain legal circumstances. Even after the amendment in the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024, this rule remains unchanged since 2003. It also shared a link to a press release from 2024, which also debunks the misinformation from that time.
“Tax Clearance Certificate… may be required to be obtained by persons resident in India only in the following circumstances: Where the person is involved in serious financial irregularities and his presence is necessary in the investigation of matters… or where the person has direct tax dues ₹10 lakh,” the release said while also sharing other details.
However, Chartered Accountant Sarthak Ahuja, known for making videos on personal finance and related topics, wrote in response to the shared clip: “Awful. The video does not tell about all citizens. It clearly states only those who do not have taxable income or PAN. So why choose to display it incorrectly!” In his reply, he did not dispute the details shared by PIB on who actually requires a tax clearance certificate.
One user complained to him: “You are wrong about many things, as stated many times in your Instagram comments section. Just because you state some things right, does not make it the whole truth. It’s time to fact check it!”
Another said: “Hey.. I follow you and your videos. To be honest, the beginning of your video is quite confusing,” while another X user said, “Then what do you mean by ‘every time you leave the country’.”
Who is Sarthak Ahuja?
CA Sarthak Ahuja is famous for having a large number of social media followers, especially on Instagram. His profile says he has completed CA, CS and CMA by the age of 23 and has a management degree from the Indian School of Business (ISB).
He has also written bestselling books, including ‘Founders Office’, ‘Daily Coffee and Startup Fundraising’ and ‘The Money Ball’.
