RTO collects ₹60-lakh tax from luxury car owner

In what is perhaps the single biggest contribution of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) to the State exchequer in connection with its crackdown on tax evasion by owners of luxury vehicles registered in Puducherry, the Perumbavoor Sub Regional Transport Office (RTO) collected ₹60 lakh as tax from the owner of the luxury brand Bentley on Friday.

Besides the timely intervention of the Perumbavoor Joint Regional Transport Officer, the woman who owned the vehicle (PY01 CQ 369) helped the cause by volunteering to pay the hefty tax.

The U.K.-based Bentley is considered one of the most prestigious automobile brands in the world.

In April alone, the Perumbavoor Sub RTO has collected tax from two other cars owners, whose vehicles were registered in Puducherry to evade hefty tax back here in the State while the Muvattupuzha RTO reported one such instance of tax collection.

In Kerala, premium cars priced above ₹20 lakh attract tax amounting to 20% of the price while in Puducherry such vehicles can be registered by paying a negligible amount as tax.

MVD officials have warned of stern action against car owners who have been served with a demand notice for payment of tax.