GST intelligence team have carried out raids at Tamil actor Vishal’s house just a day after he condemned the BJP leader in the state, H Raja, for watching Vijay-starrer Mersal online.
“Raids to check his past excise records since he is a film producer and distributor,” GST officials were quoted as saying by Outlook.
“The raid started after 2 pm on the premises of the Vadapalani office of the production house. We are yet to know the extent of service tax evasion by the company. We have just started the searches after information collected for nearly one year,” a senior GST intelligence official told TOI.
He had said, “Dear Mr H Raja, as a leader and prominent personality, you are advocating piracy and blatantly agreeing to it. How a political leader like you could watch a pirated version of a film (online).”
Vishal, who’s know for his strong views on anti-piracy measures, had said that it “totally insensitive and uncalled for.”
However, horus later, the Directorate General of Goods & Service Tax Intelligence Chennai Zonal Unit issued a statement denying the reports of raids on actor Vishal’s house.
BJP in Tamil Nadu on Sunday had stooped to new low by posting what it claimed was the voter identity card of actor Vijay in a bid to establish his Christian faith.
H Raja, an ex-MLA and the BJP’s national secretary, posted a photo of a voter ID card, which appeared to show actor Vijay’s name as Joseph Vijay. Raja wrote, “Truth is bitter.” Along with Vijay’s voter ID card, Raja also posted a letter, allegedly written by the popular actor in 2014 to Kumudham magazine’s editor thanking for shortlisting his name in the list of popular actors in Tamil Nadu.
In the clip (below) the protagonist Vijay is seen lashing out at the establishment while slamming the GST. In his monologue, Vijay is seen referring to Singapore, which levies only 7% GST and can afford to provide free healthcare services. However, India is unable to provide the same while levying a 28% GST. An angry Vijay, while speaking to reporters in the film, also talks about the children’s deaths in Gorakhpur hospital.
He also asks there was no GST on alcohol but people have to pay 12% GST for medicines.