Chennai: The Madras High Court Judge Justice SM Subramaniam imposed a ₹ 1 lakh fine on Tamil actor Vijay for trying to avoid paying tax on Rolls-Royce Ghost he had imported in 2012.  The Judge said in his order that the tax evasion construed as anti national habit, attitude, mindset, and unconstitutional.

The Judge said in his order to pay the entry tax as demanded by the respondents within a period of two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The fine must be paid to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Covid – 19 Public Relief Fund within two weeks.

Judge directed the respondents in this case the Home Department (Transport), the Assistant Commissioner (Commercial Taxes) of the Chennai Assessment Circle, and both the Regional Transport Officer and Motor Vehicle Inspector of Chennai South to initiate all further actions, following the procedure, if the plaintiff failed to pay the fine.

The Madras High Court imposed the fine on the petition filed by the actor Vijay challenging the demand for payment of what he called extraordinary entry tax by transport authorities to register his imported car, even after paying duty to the customs department. The market price of the Rolls-Royce Ghost, according to his own counsel, could be at least ₹ 5 crore.

The judge pointed out that the petitioner, officially known as C Joseph Vijay, had not even mentioned his profession or occupation in his affidavit. The fact that he was an actor came to light only after his counsel made a mention, Justice Subramaniam said.