Actor Vivek Oberoi has landed in the taxman’s net after he allegedly evaded service tax worth `40 lakh, an amount that he had reportedly collected from producers and production companies for the purpose of paying the tax. Officers have registered a case against him also issued a third summon after the earlier two were not responded to. The actor has also not registered himself with the service tax department, but was still collecting money from producers, sources said.
The Anti-Evasion Cell of the department had first raided his office and residence at Juhu on September 13, but returned empty-handed, as the premises were empty. “We then dropped a summons notice there but no one came. Later, we managed to call his chartered accountant and business associate at our office and record their statement during which, both were highly evasive and attempted distracting us. A second summons notice was sent then, which too he did not respond to, following which we registered a case under Sections 87, 83 and 89 of the Finance Act,” said an officer from the department. According to preliminary investigations conducted by officers, Oberoi had been charging the amount from producers for his films since February, saying it would be used to pay service tax. “However, he had not even registered with the department after he fell under the service tax bracket,” an officer said.
He later hurriedly registered himself when we issued him the second summon. Yet, he refused to come, saying he was a celebrity,” another officer said. According to service tax rules, a person cannot be arrested unless the evaded amount crosses `50 lakh.