Maharashtra issues order to waive entertainment duty for 1996 Michael Jackson concert

The Maharashtra government issued an order to waive off entertainment duty worth ₹33,376,000 to the organisers Wizcraft Entertainment, against a concert of late American pop singer and dancer Michael Jackson organised in Mumbai around 24 years ago

The Maharashtra government issued an order to waive off entertainment duty worth ₹33,376,000 to the organisers Wizcraft Entertainment, against a concert of late American pop singer and dancer Michael Jackson organised in Mumbai around 24 years ago.

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The order was issued by the state revenue department on Monday. On November 1, 1996, the then Raj Thackeray-led Shiv Udyog Sena (SUS) had organised a Michael Jackson concert in Mumbai and the then Shiv Sena-BJP led state government had granted a waiver in the entertainment duty to the organisers on the grounds that the profit is used for charity purposes. The decision was struck down by the Bombay high court and the amount and the waiver amount was deposited in the court’s treasury. It had further asked the state government to reconsider its decision in eight weeks.

On January 6, the state government has decided to waive off the entertainment duty as well as the interest amount.