Minister denies Bedi's allegation of irregularity in car

Puducherry Revenue and Transport Minister M O H F Shah Jahan today said an inquiry had revealed that there was no irregularity in the registration of a luxury car by a film actress here some months back.
He told reporters that in the wake of remarks by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi that there was irregularity in the registration of the car by the actress, the Transport Department had conducted a detailed probe with assistance of police into the matter.
In the probe, it was found that there was "absolutely no violation of rules or fraudulent practise in the registration" (of the car by the actress), he said.

Bedi had stated yesterday said that after seeing a report in a Tamil Daily on the allegedregistration here ofa luxury car by a film actressto avail lesser tax benefit, she had asked the Secretary to Transport Department, the Transport Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police to go into the matter.
The minister said that the actress Amala Paul had submitted the statutorily recognised documents for the registration of her car in Puducherry with proof to support her address here.
"Everything has been done in accordance with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, a central legislation in force in Puducherry", he said maintaining that there was no violation of any provision of the statute.

Shah Jahan said that as long as the documents envisaged under the Act were submitted, including an affidavit by the purchaser of a vehicle for registration with the transport department, "we cannot deny registration".

He said that the road tax was less in Puducherry than other states and this had attracted a number of vehicle purchasers to get their vehicles registered in the union territory and this was permitted in the Act.
"It is our privilege to fix the rate so as to mobilise the revenue for the exchequer and hence there should be no off hand allegation or misunderstanding of adopting lesser tax structure", he said.

He said that the actress had purchased the vehicle nearly three months ago.
The Lt Governor should clarify what irregularity or mistake had been committed by the transport department in respect of the registration of the luxury car, he said.
"We go by the documents and also by affidavit given by a Notary Public and submitted by vehicle purchaser for registration", he said, stating that if the Lt Governor sought clarification "we will place before her all the facts and statutory provisions".
Meanwhile, a release from office of Lt Governor said that during her visit to the Transport Department today, Kiran Bedi had found that that "utilising the window of opportunity provided in the Motor Vehicles Rules here, the purchasers of high end luxury cars from other states were registering their cars by providing LIC policy as proof of their residence. They are also availing the concession in life time road tax levied by the Puducherry government", the release said.

"By this, the purchasers were depriving their own states of the road tax due to them", the release said.
She wanted steps to be taken to correct the practise of the rich "indulging in organised fraud in connivance with dealers of vehicles and brokers", it said.