Kochi/ Thiruvananthapuram: Actor-turned Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi approached the High Court on Tuesday seeking anticipatory bail in the case connected with the registration of his luxury vehicle in Puducherry. The court posted the case for hearing on Friday. The Crime Branch had registered a case against 70 persons including the BJP MP for registering the luxury vehicles to avoid paying the higher taxes in the state.
According to the MVD officials, around 2,000 luxury cars running in the state are registered in Puducherry. The Thiruvananthapuram RTO had served a notice to Mr Suresh Gopi in connection with the case. The Crime Branch has also given notices to actors Fahad Fazil and Amala Paul directing them to appear for quizzing in connection with luxury vehicle tax evasion case. According to sources, the actors were directed to appear before the investigation team at Crime Branch headquarters on Tuesday.
Ms Amala Paul was directed to appear by 10.30 a.m. and Mr Fahad Fazil by 3.30 p.m. They were also asked to produce any documents to support their claims. Crime Branch SP Santosh V.K. sent the notices. Both the actors had registered their luxury cars in Puducherry , allegedly using fake addresses there to evade the higher motor vehicle tax in Kerala. Amala Paul’s S-class Benz, priced Rs 1.12 crore, was registered at Puducherry, by paying Rs 1.75 lakh as tax. In Kerala the tax would be around Rs 20 lakh. Fahad Fazil too had registered his Benz E Class in Puducherry. But after the issue became controversy he paid tax of '17.68 lakh at Alappuzha regional transport office.
