A group of Indian Revenue Service officers have recommended taxing the super rich and foreign companies to help pay for the coronavirus economic fallout, but the government brushed off the idea, saying it did not reflect official views, according to Reuters.

Some 50 officers of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) recommended raising the highest tax rate to 40 per cent for people with annual income above 10 million rupees ($131,130) or a wealth tax for those with net worth of 50 million or more in a report sent to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and shared on Twitter on Saturday.

In a tweet late on Sunday, the Income Tax Department, governed by the CBDT, said the report did not reflect the official views of the CBDT and the Finance Ministry. It said an inquiry was being launched into why the report was shared with the public.