Records of high-end cars go missing

NT Correspondent

Transport Minister B. Sriramulu has promised to refer the alleged tax evasion of high-end cars to the CID instead of conducting a probe by a retired judge.

During the question-answer session in the Legislative Council here on Friday, C.N. Manjegowda of JD(S) said some luxury cars are running without paying taxes. According to an estimate, the owners of 224 high-end cars have failed to pay taxes causing huge revenue loss to the state exchequer. At Koramangala RTO alone, 95,000 luxury cars have been registered. The officers concerned are hesitating to collect taxes from the owners of these cars. It looks like a big scam which must be probed by a retired judge, he added.

Sriramulu said between 2015 and 2021, lifetime tax of 124 high-end cars has not been paid.

The files of these cars have gone missing. Despite this, 13 cars were seized and Rs 1.64 crore tax collected from the owners of the luxury cars. This issue would be referred to the CID for a detailed probe, he added.

Number plate
The minister said high security number plates have been fixed on 26,65,731 vehicles in the last three years in the State. The other vehicles would also be fitted with such number plates soon.

Property mortgaged
Replying to P.R. Ramesh on the mortgage of buses bought under JNNURM and also the mortgage of KSRTC buildings, Sriramulu said 2,624 buses had been purchased by the four corporations under JNNURM scheme of which 168 buses have stopped running. Seven terminals have been constructed under the same scheme.

It is true that KSRTC buildings were mortgaged which was done to make payment of Provident Fund of the employees. This has become inevitable, he noted.