The Bombay High Court on Tuesday ordered the city police to execute in two weeks a bailable warrant against the agent through whom actress Sushmita Sen bought her imported Land Cruiser.
The actress allegedly evaded octroi on the car.
Earlier, the court had asked police to issue warrant to Vasu Thamala, from whom the car was purchased, but police today said he was not found at his two known addresses in New Delhi.
But Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)'s lawyer CU Singh argued that though Thamala is not traceable, police can interrogate Haren Choksi, the middleman in the deal.
So a Division Bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice VM Kanade issued bailable warrant aginst him. "If you could not execute warrant, Additional Commissioner will have to be present in the court," the Judges said.
Sushmita's case is that she bought the car from Thamala and it was he who should have paid octroi. But MCGM claims that Thamala is a non-existent person.
MCGM had earlier demanded penalty of Rs 23 lakh from Sen for evading octroi. Sen challenged the imposition of penalty before the High Court. That order was set aside by High Court, on the ground that only a court, not MCGM, can impose penalty if a person is found guilty of evasion.
{{/usCountry}}MCGM had earlier demanded penalty of Rs 23 lakh from Sen for evading octroi. Sen challenged the imposition of penalty before the High Court. That order was set aside by High Court, on the ground that only a court, not MCGM, can impose penalty if a person is found guilty of evasion.
{{/usCountry}}But the court passed strictures against her for "apparent irregularities, and asked police to arrest Thamala for further probe. He has eluded police for the last six months.