Tamil cinema icon Vijay faces a financial setback after the Madras High Court rejected his plea against a Rs 1.5 crore tax penalty. The Income Tax Department had slapped the fine for alleged concealment of income from his 2015 film ‘Puli’, and the court has now affirmed the order.
Delving into the details, Vijay’s 2016-17 tax return listed assets at Rs 35.42 crore. A comparison with 2015 documents revealed he omitted Rs 15 crore remuneration from ‘Puli’. The IT officials issued the penalty in 2022 following a detailed assessment.
In his challenge, Vijay contended the order was time-barred, as it came after the mandatory deadline. An interim stay was granted earlier, but Justice Senthilkumar Ramamurthi lifted it after thorough arguments, upholding the penalty in full.
Beyond taxes, Vijay’s embroiled in the Karur rally stampede probe by CBI. He’s appeared twice for questioning, with investigators probing TVK’s role. Police reports pinpoint his late arrival as a trigger for the crowd surge and panic. Denials from Vijay’s camp haven’t quelled the inquiry.
This ruling serves as a reminder of fiscal accountability for high-profile figures. With politics on the horizon, Vijay’s navigating a tricky terrain of legal battles that test his resilience and strategy.