Local tax professionals and advocates believe that labourer Sabra is a victim of a larger conspiracy involving identity theft and fraudulent business activities conducted under her name
Mohammad bin Ismail | Clarion India
NEW DELHI/FIROZABAD— In yet another case that has left legal experts and common citizens baffled, a Muslim woman from a poor family in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh has been served a staggering income tax notice of ₹4.88 crore, raising serious concerns about identity theft and misuse of financial records.
The recipient, Sabra, a daily-wage agricultural labourer and wife of Shamsuddin, resides in a modest single-room dwelling in Khairgarh’s Jolkhan area, under Jasrana tehsil. The entire family works as labourers. Their home is covered with a torn tarpaulin, a reflection of the acute poverty they live in.
Speaking to local reporters, a visibly shaken Sabra said, “We are poor people. I have never even seen so much money. What can we do? Only God can help us now.”
The incident came to light on April 1, 2025 when a postman delivered an official envelope to Sabra. As she is illiterate, she was asked for a thumb impression to receive the document. The letter, written entirely in English, was later read to the family by someone familiar with the language — and that is when the shock set in.
The notice, issued by the Income Tax Department, accuses Sabra of financial irregularities and demands a formal reply by April 17, 2025. The department claims that transactions amounting to ₹4.88 crore were made through her name and account — an amount the family finds beyond comprehension.
Local tax professionals and advocates believe that Sabra is a victim of a larger conspiracy involving identity theft and fraudulent business activities conducted under her name.
“This appears to be a clear case of misuse of name and account. Someone has carried out large-scale transactions using her identity, likely without her knowledge,” said Kuldeep Mittal, a senior Income Tax Advocate in Firozabad.
He further added that similar notices have been issued across Uttar Pradesh in recent months, all targeting individuals from extremely poor backgrounds — raising questions about the security and oversight of identity-linked financial operations.
Sabra’s case is the latest in a string of similar shocking notices that have surfaced in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, Muhammad Raees, a juice seller in Aligarh, was issued a tax notice worth crores. Yogesh Sharma, a locksmith, and Rajkumar, a sanitation worker, also received similar notices, followed by Saurabh, a farmer from Mathura, who was served a demand notice of over ₹30 crore.
All of them are below the poverty line and have limited literacy or access to banking mechanisms. These notices have created panic among the poor and working-class communities, particularly those who are unaware of how their personal documents are being used or misused.
Sabra’s husband, Shamsuddin, who drives a bullock cart, expressed deep frustration. “We work hard every day to feed our children. We don’t even have a bank account with money in it, so how can crores be in her name?”
Many in the local Muslim community have rallied around the family, demanding a proper investigation into how Sabra’s documents were accessed and used.
“This isn’t just a clerical error. It is financial exploitation of the most vulnerable — poor women, labourers, Muslims — who have no means to fight back,” said Mohammad Kaleem, a social activist from Firozabad. He has appealed to district officials to intervene and protect innocent families.
Legal experts argue that loopholes in India’s digital and banking systems have made it easier for fraudsters to use PAN cards, Aadhaar numbers, and other identity documents without proper verification. Often, poor citizens are unaware of how their information is being misused until they are served a legal notice.
“Most people don’t even know that accounts have been opened in their names. Fraudulent GST registrations, shell companies — all are being operated using stolen identities,” said tax consultant Rizwan Ansari.
Activists are now demanding that the Income Tax Department halt proceedings against individuals from BPL families unless prima facie evidence of their involvement is established. Several have also requested the government to initiate identity audit drives in rural and marginalised areas.
For Sabra and her family, every day now begins and ends in fear and confusion. The burden of replying to an official document in a language they cannot understand, and the trauma of being falsely accused, is immense.
“This is a story of exploitation. Of how someone can steal your name, your identity, and push you into a legal nightmare — while you are busy ploughing fields to survive,” said Zakia Bano, a teacher who volunteers in the area.
Deadline of April 17, approaches, all eyes are on whether the government will provide legal assistance and clear Sabra’s name, or whether this will be yet another case of a poor Muslim citizen left to fend for herself against a system stacked against her.
