By NEHA THIRANI BAGRI: February 4, 2013
The Indian unit of the Anglo-Dutch oil company Royal Dutch Shell said Monday that it would challenge a notice by the Indian tax authorities alleging tax evasion through the transfer of shares.
Deepak Mukarji, a Shell India spokesman, said that the company had received an order on Friday from the income tax department of India that accused Shell India of evading taxes by underpricing a share transfer within the group by approximately $2.8 billion.
At the center of the controversy is a share sale by Shell India to Shell Gas BV, its overseas parent , in March 2009. Shell India issued shares worth 870 million rupees ($160 million) to Shell Gas BV, or 87 million shares at a value of 10 rupees per share, but the Indian tax authorities now contend that each share was actually worth 183 rupees.