The Income Tax Department has recently nudged select taxpayers who have invested in residential and commercial properties in the UAE to avail of the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme, 2026 (FAST-DS), offering a one-time opportunity to declare these overseas assets which have been undisclosed so far, according to Finance Ministry sources.

The scheme provides a time-bound window to regularise eligible disclosures by paying 30 per cent tax on the fair market value and an equal amount of penalty in addition to tax. A crucial feature of the scheme is that it is fully online, trust-based, and self-declaratory.

A valid declaration brings immunity from further assessment, penalty and prosecution under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 (Black Money Act). The scheme further provides an opportunity to taxpayers to report unaccounted assets and income on payment of a Rs 1 lakh fee to avoid a penalty of Rs 10 lakh each year prescribed in the Black Money Act.

Till now, approximately 1,100 taxpayers have filed applications under the scheme, which is open till December 31, 2026, sources said.

The Central government has launched the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme, 2026 (FAST-DS), offering a one-time opportunity to disclose foreign assets and income that have been undisclosed so far.

To facilitate taxpayers, the Department has created a facility in the e-filing portal where a taxpayer can see information with respect to assets reported on their PANs by the foreign jurisdictions under Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), popularly known as CRS/FATCA. Taxpayers can log in to the e-filing portal and download this information for the three-year period 2022-2024.

Sources informed that the information received under AEOI from the signatories of CRS/FATCA frameworks has only been displayed in the e-filing portal. Department receives information under other multilateral frameworks which has not been displayed in the portal due to various risk factors or non-disclosure commitments. Further, the Income Tax Department collects information from other sources as well. The Department decided, in a high-level meeting on October 23, that such information may also be shared with relevant taxpayers, wherever possible, to enable them to take advantage of the scheme.

The Income Tax Department has also planned outreach programmes to create awareness among taxpayers, corporates as employers, educational institutes, professional bodies and industry associations. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which is the apex body that heads the Income Tax Department, has also made a Committee in each region under the Principal Chief Commissioner to help taxpayers resolve their queries and concerns.

Demanding an apology, Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra on Monday led a massive protest near the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at Rajaji Marg, opposing his alleged insulting remarks about the late father of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting in Patna a day earlier.

Malhotra said, “We have gathered at Kharge’s residence today to tell him that PM Modi is not merely a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, but one of the top leaders in the world and the Prime Minister of India. Kharge must apologise for his remarks.”

Our movement and protest will continue till Kharge apologises, he said, adding that wherever Kharge goes to address the public, the citizens and BJP workers will demand answers from him.

Malhotra said the entire Congress, whether it is Rahul Gandhi or Congress President Kharge, has become frustrated.

“After suffering continuous electoral defeats, they are unable to understand what to do. They repeatedly resort to creating an atmosphere of anarchy and behave as though they do not respect the law,” he said.

“They want to stage protests outside the Supreme Court, organise rallies and attempt to enter the Supreme Court premises, and at times even reach the gates of Parliament. They are people who do not respect constitutional institutions or the laws of the country,” he said.

Malhotra said that a few months ago, they attempted to shut down Delhi, which affected the entire business community of the city.

“Even today, without caring about the law, they are continuously attempting to hold protests and demonstrations at various places in Delhi, including Connaught Place, in violation of the law. By mobilising disruptive and anarchic elements, they are attempting to create an atmosphere of anarchy in Delhi and across the country,” he said.

Malhotra said Congress leaders’ frustration is increasing because the people are not with them.

“Their own people and workers are not with them, and whenever by-election results are announced, and the Congress and opposition parties suffer defeats there as well, their frustration increases further,” he said.

The protest against Kharge was joined by Delhi BJP In-charge Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and 2,000 workers of the Delhi BJP Purvanchal, Yuva and OBC Morchas.

The protest, conducted by Delhi BJP General Secretary Mohan Lal Gihara, saw party workers march towards Kharge’s residence after the leaders addressed the gathering.

Police attempted to stop the workers by putting up barricades at the Kushak Road turn. When the workers broke through the barricades and proceeded further, a heavy police contingent stopped them near Sena Bhawan.

The police then detained around 200 senior office-bearers and workers, including Delhi BJP President Malhotra, and took them to Mandir Marg Police Station in five buses.

Sahasrabuddhe said that PM Modi comes from an ordinary family and is serving the country, reaching the office of Prime Minister after immense struggle.

“An attempt has been made to insult that journey. The kind of objectionable language used by the Congress President does not befit the president of the country’s oldest political party,” he said.

Delhi BJP Vice President Rajesh Bhatia said that the Congress’ cheap mentality has once again been exposed.

Delhi BJP General Secretary Mohan Lal Gihara said that Kharge has crossed all limits of decency.

Delhi Purvanchal Morcha President Santosh Ojha said that by insulting the Prime Minister’s father, Kharge has also insulted the Purvanchal community.

Yuva Morcha President Rajat Chaudhary said that the youth rejects Congress’ politics of abusive language.

More than five months after Tanuja Ranjan, wife of retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Ray Vinay Ranjan, was brutally murdered at their residence in Hyderabad, police on Monday arrested four Nepalese.

Those arrested include the domestic worker, Dharma Tiruwa alias Kalpana, who had worked at the victim’s residence.

The arrests were made following a five-month-long investigation spanning several states and the India-Nepal border.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar announced the arrests at a press conference.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing rising property offences committed by Nepali gangs across the three Police Commissionerates, arrested four accused near Nampally Railway Station on Monday (October 26).

Dharma alias Kalpana, 26, is from Surkhet district in Nepal. Ganesh B.K. alias Ganesh Bishwakarma alias Dinesh Thapa, 31, is a labourer who was residing in Pune; Chandra Bahadur Tamang alias Ranjeet Thapa alias Shanker Chandra Lama alias Kancha, 44, a cook whose listed Indian address is in Gurugram, Haryana; and Ganesh Bahadur Shahi, 37, a watchman who was residing in Pune.

Police said two other accused remained absconding and that teams were continuing efforts to trace them. The police had earlier arrested two other accused in the case.

Police said the accused entered the house in Prashasan Nagar on the night of May 7–8, restrained Tanuja Ranjan and smothered her. They allegedly escaped with 225 grams of gold jewellery and other valuables.

The police investigation revealed that Dharma came to Hyderabad in June 2025 through a relative and began working as a domestic help at the Jubilee Hills residence for a monthly salary of about Rs 20,000. During her employment, she allegedly remained in contact with Bikas, a Nepal national based in Pune, who repeatedly asked about her employer, the household’s assets and the valuables inside the house. He eventually proposed a robbery in return for a share of the proceeds. In April 2026, Dharma travelled to Pune to visit her ailing father and came into contact with other members of the alleged gang.

On May 4, when her employer left for Bengaluru, she allegedly alerted the group. The police account says Ganesh Bahadur Shahi, Shanker Chandra Lama and Sunil Pariyar met at Kalamboli in Raigad district, Maharashtra, on May 4 and travelled to Pune in a hired Maruti Ertiga. The next day, they met other alleged accomplices, including Ganesh B.K., before setting out for Hyderabad.

On the morning of May 7, Ganesh B.K. and Suresh Shahi allegedly met Dharma near her workplace, surveyed the premises and discussed how the group could enter the house. Two groups allegedly carried out the operation.

According to police, the gang assembled at Ravindra Bar near the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station area on the evening of May 7. It allegedly split into two groups under a plan devised by Sujan Shahi, also known as Suresh Shahi. One group, comprising Ganesh B.K., Suresh Shahi and Shanker Lama, was assigned to enter the house and carry out the robbery. The other, comprising Ganesh Bahadur Shahi, Sunil Pariyar and Netra Shahi, allegedly remained near Nampally railway station as a lookout team.

During the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Dharma allegedly opened the door to let the others in. Police said Tanuja woke up during the incident. The attackers allegedly gagged and restrained her, causing her death by suffocation. The group then searched the house, broke open cupboards and took gold jewellery and other valuables.

After leaving through the rear gate, the accused allegedly travelled to Nampally and joined the lookout team.

Investigation revealed that the group subsequently travelled towards Kazipet, moved into isolated hilly terrain and divided the stolen property into nine equal shares. Members then split into smaller groups, fled towards Nepal and disposed of the valuables at different locations.

On May 22, Task Force teams arrested Sunil Bahadur Aauji alias Sunil Pariyar and alleged receiver Dilip Bahadur Mijar alias Sonar. Police recovered 26 grams of the stolen property from them.

The investigation continued across Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Patna, Delhi, Lucknow and Uttarakhand. The SIT also carried out field inquiries near the India-Nepal border, spending more than five months gathering intelligence in remote and hilly areas.

Police said local informers helped the team track the suspects’ alleged hideouts, travel routes, employment and contacts.