Don’t behave like reel hero, Madras High Court tells actor Vijay, imposes Rs 1 lakh fine

The actor sought exemption from paying entry tax to the Tamil Nadu government for his luxurious Rolls Royce Ghost Motor Car imported from Britain in 2012

Popular Tamil actor Vijay has suffered an embarrassment after the Madras High Court imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh on him for seeking exemption from paying entry tax to the Tamil Nadu government for his luxurious Rolls Royce Ghost Motor Car imported from Britain in 2012.

Justice S M Subramaniam, who passed the order on July 8, came down heavily on the actor, who is one of the highest-paid in the Tamil film industry, for seeking relief. The actor, who imported the vehicle in 2012, paid import duty to the Customs Department as levied under the Customs Act, but sought exemption from paying the entry tax.

The actor had bought the luxurious car in 2012 costing about Rs 8 crore and the Transport Department had sought Rs 1.5 crore as entry tax. But the actor refused to pay the amount and approached the court.

“These actors are portraying themselves as champions to bring social justice in the society. Their pictures are against corrupt activities in society. But, they are evading tax and acting in a manner, which is not in consonance with the provisions of the statutes,” the judge said in his order. The judge said “cine heroes” are not expected to behave like “reel heroes” and opined that tax evasion is to be construed as “anti-national habit, attitude and mindset and unconstitutional.”

He said the court is of the opinion that the non-payment of entry tax by the actor can never be appreciated and that the “petitioner has not respected nor responded to the lakhs and lakhs of his fans, who have paid by viewing his movies and from and out of such money, the actor purchased the world's prestigious car for his personal usage.”

“The reputed persons of this great nation should realize that the money reaches to them is from the poor man’s blood and from their hard-earned money and not from the sky,” Justice Subramaniam observed. He said the system of taxation is the backbone of the nation's economy, which keeps Revenue consistent, manages growth in the economy, and fuels its industrial activity.

“Tax is mandatory contribution and not a voluntary payment or donation, which one decides on one's own,” he added.

The common man is motivated and encouraged to behave as a lawful citizen and pay tax and to thrive hard to achieve social justice in the society, the judge observed. “If the rich, affluent and reputed persons fail to pay the tax as applicable, then this Court with pain, records that it would be a long way to achieve the constitutional goals,” he said.

Asking Vijay to pay the entry tax as demanded by the state government, the judge dismissed the writ petition and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh which is to be paid to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Covid-19 Public Relief Fund, within two weeks.