Aishwarya Rai Bachchan promises to pay tax after non-payment notice
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was served a notice by the Sinnar Tehsil Office in the Nashik district of Maharashtra after the actor did not pay the agricultural tax. As per a new report, the Devdas actor's legal adviser has responded to the notice and the dues will be cleared today, January 18. She owns a hectare of land in Adwadi village, Sinnar.
Why does this story matter?
Rai Bachchan is a global superstar who has been a former Miss World and has donned some captivating roles in Indian cinema. Earlier, Enforcement Directorate summoned her for questioning in link with 2016's Panama Papers global tax leak case. In the past, there have been many tax-related incidents involving various Bollywood celebrities. As of now, this case has not taken a big turn.
Crux of the matter
As per the notice served, the tax amounting to Rs. 21,960 was pending and the Nashik administration had sent repeated reminders to the actor. Interestingly, around 1,200 property owners were issued notices by the Sinnar Tehsil Office. As per the Indian Express, tehsildar Eknath Bangale stated that Rai Bachchan's legal adviser met the officials and the tax will be paid by Wednesday.
Know about Rai Bachchan's windmill project
Bangale stated that Rai Bachchan has invested in a windmill and the land was bought back in 2009. He further stated, "She has paid the tax for all these years. Only the tax for this particular assessment year is pending." The officials also said that the tax-related issue is about the land and has nothing to do with the windmill project.
Tehsildar spoke about revenue assessment
Speaking about the process of revenue assessment, Bangale said, "Our revenue assessment year starts from August. We have sent her demand notice twice but there was no response. Now on January 9, we have again sent a notice to her to pay the tax."
Recent tax-related case of Anushka Sharma
Recently, Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma was in news for a sales tax related issue. The actor filed four pleas through a tax consultant which was primarily rejected by Bombay High Court. Later, she filed a fresh petition stating that the department charged tax on product endorsement and said that her performer's right had been transferred. She said that an officer incorrectly determined the tax.
Rai Bachchan's upcoming projects
Meanwhile, Rai Bachchan had an eventful 2022 with Mani Ratnam's magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan: I. The money spinner earned over Rs. 500 crore globally and is now set for a sequel. She will be reprising her role as Nandini and Mandakini Devi in the sequel Ponnniyin Selvan: II which is currently in post-production and is slated to release in April this year.