Social activist Dr Nutan Thakur on Saturday, objected to the grant of tax free status to films against the prescribe rules in the state.

In a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Thakur said that the state government has the right to declare a film tax-free under Section 11(1) of ‘UP Entertainment and Betting Tax Act, 1979’ on the grounds of international good will, arts, sports or other public interests. 

The UP government issued a Government Order (GO) on June 13, 2000, which prescribed seven categories of children’s film, national or international award winning film, documentary or family welfare films, other meaningful films or films shot in UP for according a tax-free status.

Thakur pointed out that during the last three years, numeorus films have been declared tax-free solely on the CM’s personal wish, without ascribing any reason for the declaration which contravenes the GO. Hence, she has urged the CM to stop the arbitrary declaration of tax-free status to a film.

Meanwhile, Thakur confirmed througha communique that a counter affidavit filed by the lokayukta office before the lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court revealed that the UP government has appointed Special Public Prosecutor for matters pertaining to her husband and IPS officer Amitabh Thakur and her. She claimed that the fact surfaced through the 121 page affidavit filed by Joint Registrar of lokayukta office, A K Singhal in the writ petition filed by her for quashing a lokayukta enquiry in a complaint filed by minister Gayatri Prajapati and setting up a Special Investigation Team for probing charges levelled by her husband of illegal mining and procuring huge properties against Prajaptiu. 

Thakur claimed that the affidavit says that the lokayukta had not made out any report in the Prajapati case but had decided to discontinue the probe on his discretion after subjective satisfaction.