Thane civic body seizes jewellery worth R4 cr for evading octroi

The octroi department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has seized jewellery at a Tanishq jewellery shop at Gokhale Road in Thane (West) for evading labour charges.

The octroi department of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has seized jewellery at a Tanishq jewellery shop at Gokhale Road in Thane (West) for evading labour charges.

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Officials said jewellery worth more than Rs 4 crore were sealed. The octroi vigilance department seized the jewellery after the owners failed to pay the labour charges despite being served a notice by the civic body last week.

“They didn’t include the Rs 9 crore labour charges on the imported jewellery in the invoice. There is a 4% octroi on the labour charges, which comes to nearly Rs 36 lakh,” said assistant municipal commissioner (octroi vigilance committee) Arvind Akashi.

“We are now charging them 10 times penalty along with 0.5% notice fee, and 5% administrative tax. The total amount comes to Rs 4,22,000. So, we have seized the jewellery worth the same amount till they pay up.”

The corporation has given the owners a period of 21 days to pay the amount. “If they fail to pay up by then, we will auction the jewellery,” said Akashi.