BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Friday permitted the Abhishek Propbuild Private Limited to open the Mantri Mall in city, subject to payment of Rs 2 crore by the end of the day. The mall premises was locked by BBMP for default in payment of property tax.
Hearing the petition filed by Abhishek Propbuild Private Limited Hamara Shelters Private Limited, the promoters of the mall, against locking of mall by the BBMP for not paying tax, the court passed the interim order.
"Since the day has now come to an end and tomorrow and Sunday being holidays for the Bank, the counsel of the petitioner would submit that he would deposit a cheque for Rs.4 crores with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike before the end of the day and would replace the same with a demand draft of Rs.2 crores before 12 noon on Monday. The counsel for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike placed on record the documents with regard to all the submissions that he has made, that the demand of tax has been communicated to the petitioners year on year and the petitioner has been in default of payment of those taxes year on year and when the cup of default came to the brim, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has taken recourse to such an act of locking the premises", the court noted the arguments of the parties while adjourning the hearing to December 13, 2021.
Meanwhile, the counsel of the petitioners would submit that a distress warrant was issued for payment of property tax amounting of Rs.6.77 crore on February 14, 2020. The petitioners have also paid a sum of Rs.1 crore on September 14, 2020 towards dues of property tax and contend that they have been paying Rs.2 crores month on month basis and presently, they are in due to the tune of Rs.4 crores. The act of the respondents - Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in locking the premises when the customers were inside the Mall is what is questioned by the petitioners inter alia along with questioning the demand of tax, he argued.