Power to call for information.

⁴³133. The ⁴⁴[Assessing] Officer, the ⁴⁵[Deputy Commissioner (Appeals),] ⁴⁶[the ⁴⁷[Joint Commissioner] or the Commissioner (Appeals)] may, for the purposes of this Act,—

          (1)  require any firm to furnish him with a return of the names and addresses of the partners of the firm and their respective shares ;

          (2)  require any Hindu undivided family to furnish him with a return of the names and addresses of the manager and the members of the family ;

          (3)  require any person whom he has reason to believe to be a trustee, guardian or agent, to furnish him with a return of the names of the persons for or of whom he is trustee, guardian or agent, and of their addresses ;

          (4)  require any assessee to furnish a statement of the names and addresses of all persons to whom he has paid in any previous year rent, interest, commission, royalty or brokerage, or any annuity, not being any annuity taxable under the head “Salaries” amounting to more than ⁴⁸[one thousand rupees, or such higher amount as may be prescribed], together with particulars of all such payments made ;

          (5)  require any dealer, broker or agent or any person concerned in the management of a stock or commodity exchange to furnish a statement of the names and addresses of all persons to whom he or the exchange has paid any sum in connection with the transfer, whether by way of sale, exchange or otherwise, of assets, or on whose behalf or from whom he or the exchange has received any such sum, together with particulars of all such payments and receipts ;

          (6)  require any person, including a banking company or any officer thereof, to furnish information in relation to such points or matters, or to furnish statements of accounts and affairs verified in the manner specified by the ⁴⁹[Assessing] Officer, the ⁵⁰[Deputy Commissioner (Appeals)] ⁵¹[, the ⁵²[Joint Commissioner] or the Commissioner (Appeals)], giving information in relation to such points or matters as, in the opinion of the ⁵³[Assessing] Officer, the ⁵⁴[Deputy Commissioner (Appeals)] ⁵¹[, the ⁵²[Joint Commissioner] or the Commissioner (Appeals)], will be useful for, or relevant to, any ⁵⁵[enquiry⁵⁶ or] proceeding⁵⁶ under this Act :

                ⁵⁷[Provided that the powers referred to in clause (6), may also be exercised by the Director-General, the Chief Commissioner, the Director and the Commissioner :]

                ⁵⁸[Provided further that the power in respect of an inquiry, in a case where no proceeding is pending, shall not be exercised by any income-tax authority below the rank of Director or Commissioner without the prior approval of the Director or, as the case may be, the Commissioner.]