Calcutta High Court asked film actress Suchitra Sen to deposit Rs five lakh before opening up a hearing of her appeal challenging the income tax (I-T) department directive to pay hefty taxes for her flat in the city’s southern part. This is for the second time Ms Sen moved an appeal against the I-T department for imposing a wealth tax penalty of over Rs 30 lakhs on her property.
The case dates back to 1991 when she entered into an agreement with P S Housing for the construction of a multi-storeyed building on her old residence at Ballygunje Circular Road.
She has given counsel Shibendu Bose the power of attorney to file the petition on her behalf.
Justice Soumitra Pal had asked her counsel Mr Bose why the actress did not file the appeal personally when the case came up for hearing on Thursday.
The legendary actress had secluded herself from the public after the release of her last film in 1978. The last time she appeared in public was few years back when she stepped out of room to be photographed for her voter’s identity card.
The developers had allotted her 45 per cent of the total area in the new complex. Out of nine flats, she showed only six and converted three into a composite flat for herself.
She appealed before the income tax authority for exemption from paying wealth tax on three separate flats amounting to nearly Rs one crore. The appeal was however rejected.
Without prejudice to the Court’s action and due apologies if offended it appears the tax demand itself is erroneous. The fact of the matter whether it is a single self occupied house or multiple units being occupied by one single person is to be ascertained. Just because it is of a certain area of land does not make it liable for wealth tax.
FURTHER COMMENT MAY BE FURNISHED ON HEARING THE JUDGMENTS OF HONORABLE HIGH COURT.
CALCUTTA H.C. HAS CORRECTLY IMPOSED TO DEPOSIT RUPEES 5 LAKH FOR OPENING UP HEARING IN WEALTH TAX PENALTY CASE.
ACTRESS OR NO ACTRESS SHOULD ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY, SPECIALLY INCOME TAX, WEALTH TAX ACTS ETC. OUT OF NINE FLATS,WHY SHE SHOWED SIX AND CONVERTED THREE IN TO A COMPOSITE FLAT FOR HERSELF ?
IS IT REQUIRE FOR HER AT THE FAG END OF LIFE,THOUGH IT IS HER PERSONAL MATTER . WHY SHE APPEALED BEFORE THE TAXING AUTHORITY FOR EXEMPTION FOR PAYING WEALTH TAX ON THREE SEPARATE FLATS AMOUNTING MORE THAN CORES OF RUPEES ?.LAW SHOULD TAKE ITS OWN COURSE.
SHE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY INCOME TAX PENALTY OF RS 30,LAKHS OR MORE.MORE OVER SHE SUPPOSE TO VIOLATED THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DEVELOPER AND WIT HER. THIS OPINION BASED ON INFORMATION GIVEN ON THIS SITE.( TAX GURU)