THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch has registered a case against actor and Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi on charges of fabricating documents and using false addresses to register a luxury car in Puducherry in a bid to evade higher taxes in Kerala.After receiving a complaint on tax evasion on October 8, Kerala Police chief Loknath Behera had handed over the case to Crime Branch chief B S Muhammad Yasin.
A preliminary inquiry conducted by the Crime Branch had found that insurance policies and fake rent contracts had been raised to support the claim that Suresh Gopi was living in Puducherry.
The MP had claimed that he owned a flat in Puducherry, but the sleuths had found the flat locked up.
The Crime Branch also received a report from the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), which showed that Suresh Gopi had evaded a fine for violating speed limits. The MVD had issued a notice to the MP in this regard.
Earlier, the Crime Branch had also summoned actors Amala Paul and Fahadh Faasil on similar charges. In the initial findings, it was revealed that Amala Paul had registered her vehicle in the name of an engineering student. Vehicle registration in Puducherry has become a trend in the state in the past few years as the customer could evade tax. For instance, a car worth Rs 1 crore invites Rs 20 lakh as tax in Kerala, while in Puducherry it is just Rs 1 lakh. Staff manning auto showrooms in Kerala advise customers to register their vehicles in Puducherry and gain a big commission.
The Crime Branch also received a report from the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), which showed that Suresh Gopi had evaded a fine for violating speed limits. The MVD had issued a notice to the MP in this regard