- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Tue, 09 Sep 2025 04:40 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
In a shocking case of negligence, a Gorakhpur-based lawyer, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, has discovered that his Permanent Account Number (PAN) has been issued to another individual from Basti. The revelation came after 17 years, when Mishra noticed that cash deposits and withdrawals worth over Rs 15.7 lakh were recorded against his PAN.
Mishra, a resident of Rampur Rakba in Chauri Chaura, said he received his PAN on March 14, 2008 and has regularly filed income tax returns using it. While filing his return recently, he found that a savings account in the Bank of Maharashtra carried transactions linked to his PAN, including a fixed deposit of Rs 13 lakh.
When Mishra approached the bank’s Golghar branch, he was directed to Basti, where he learned that the same PAN number had been used to open an account in April 2009 by another Sanjay Kumar Mishra, with the same father’s name and date of birth, but a different address.
The branch manager confirmed the account’s existence but declined to share full details. Income Tax Officer Gaurav Prakash stated that PAN duplication is “a unique case” and clarified that the first-issued PAN will remain valid. The duplicate will be cancelled after investigation, and a new PAN will be issued if necessary.
Mishra plans to escalate the matter to the Finance Minister and senior Income Tax officials, demanding accountability.
