The Times of India              28.10.2013  

Local body tax department seizes Rs 1Cr marble for evasion

NAGPUR: Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) local body tax (LBT) department continued the raids for the second consecutive day and seized marble worth over Rs 1 crore from six godowns at Gangabai Ghat Square on Sunday. The action is being taken for LBT evasion and withholding of godown details by traders.

Municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane has started taking strict action against traders who are not registered under the LBT and have not paid the cess on time.

A team led by assistant municipal commissioner (LBT) Mahesh Dhamecha included Yadav Jambhulkar, Rajesh Meshram, Sumer Gajbhiye, Dilip Mate, Sanjay Mendhule and Vilas Chahande and conducted raids at six marble godowns at Gangabai Ghat Square.

Dhamecha said the godowns belong to Suman Marble House. "The dealer Karnidan Ganpatram Pawar did not disclose details of these godowns while submitting LBT registration form. The dealer tried to hide these places of business. It was also observed that the bills issued by the dealer do not mention LBT registration number which is mandatory as per Rule 22 of LBT," Dhamecha said.

More than 35,000 boxes of tiles were found at the godowns whose worth is estimated at Rs 1 crore.

"The dealer had paid only Rs 1.30 lakh under the LBT. This is a modus operandi to hide godowns and the actual sale. Even it came to fore that the dealer had destroyed delivery memos to hide actual sale. All the goods were seized," he said.

Meanwhile, the LBT department continued the assessment of goods seized from the godown of trader Laxminarayan Agrawal at Kacchi Visa Bhavan on Central Avenue on Saturday.