CHENNAI: Refusing to grant relief in a tax evasion case over the import of luxury car from the UK, an economic offences court in Chennai, presided by judge Malarmathi, dismissed a petition seeking discharge by the four convicts, including M Natarajan, his nephew Bhaskaran and a bank official.
All four were convicted for two years' rigorous imprisonment in 2010 but had moved a discharge petition with the CBI court, which was dismissed.
In 1994, Natarajan and Bhaskaran have purchased a Lexus car from the UK with the help of one Yogesh Balakrishnan, and the then manager of Indian Overseas Bank, Sucharitha Sunderarajan. The four managed to evade tax on the luxury car by claiming that it was a second-hand vehicle purchased in 1993.
However, the four were caught by the Customs, from whom the case was transferred to the CBI. At the end of the trial, all four were convicted by the trial court which sentenced them to two-year jail term.