Vishal, one of the leading lights of the Tamil movies, came under the scanner of the Income Tax department on Monday. Officials of the Department’s TDS wing visited the residence of the actor on Monday to verify non-deposits of TDS to the tune of Rs 51 lakh which his production company had collected by deduction but has so far not deposited in the Government account.
Neither Vishal nor the account books were available at the residence. Sources in Income Tax department said they served a summons to the actor to be present in the I-T office on Friday for questioning about the issue.
There were reports that the team of officials which called on the residence of Vishal was from the Goods and Service Tax Intelligence Department. But by late evening, a statement issued by PV K Rajasekhar, joint director, GST Intelligence Chennai Central Unit, said that no such raids were held by his officials in the residence of Vishal.
“Certain news channels are circulating news that the officers of the DG STI Chennai Zonal Unit have searched the premises of Vishal who is the president of Tamil Nadu Film Producers Council. It is to clarify that the officers of the DGSTI have not conducted any search operations and news which is being circulated is factually incorrect and false,” said release by Rajasekhar.
Political grapevine in Tamil Nadu got into full swing within minutes and claimed that the raid was a fall out of Vishal criticising the BJP leadership for “attacking” the movie Mersal starring Joseph Vijay, one of the reigning superstars of Tamil film industry. The BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu had blamed the actor and director Atlee for making use of the media of film to criticise GST and demonetisation.
By Monday, the wordy duel assumed a communal colour with all secular and Tamil Nationalist parties coming together in support of Vijay. Even Rajnikant, reportedly close to the BJP’s central leadership congratulated Vijay for the way he has portrayed the topical issues in the movie.
Chandrasekhar, father of Vijay, lambasted those who questioned the motives behind the movie. “They are afraid of the popularity enjoyed by my son. What is wrong in him aspiring to be the Chief Minister of Tamil NaduIJ What he has done in the movie was to portray what Rajnikaant and Kamal Haasan has been saying all these months. Why these politicians were silent when Rajnikant and Kamal Haasan blamed the system as rottenIJ” asked Chandrasekhar.