India’s Income Tax Department Is Secretly Training Its Officials to Investigate Cryptocu…

The Income Tax Department of India is secretly training its officials to investigate cryptocurrencies. An internal guidebook circulated by the department explains cryptocurrencies, their characteristics, the “dark side of Bitcoin” and the best investigation practices for tax officials.

The Indian government doesn’t consider cryptocurrencies as legal tender, but it also hasn’t declared them outright illegal. Crypto investors are therefore still doubtful on how to show their investments in their annual income tax returns. Due to all these circumstances, earning through cryptocurrencies is a gray area for the Indian crypto community.

Earlier this year, the Income Tax Department sent detailed notices to some cryptocurrency investors. The department asked for details on the last three years of their income tax returns, credit and debit card transactions, as well as their investment in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. The department asked a total of 26 questions, and 21 of these…