Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 18:
A former agent of Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) has been found collecting over lakhs of rupee from various transport agencies as octroi tax behind the back of IMC in violation of the court order.
According to a reliable source, IMC gave the right to collect octroi taxes to Nongyeen Enterprises, Lilong Chajing as per an agreement.
It was agreed that the agency would contribute Rs 20,83,110 as revenue to the Council every month and the agency commenced collecting octroi on behalf of the Council from vehicles since April last year.
But as the agency not only failed to provide the monthly amount in time, but has incurred a debt of Rs 35 lakhs, the source disclosed.
The agency has approached the Council for waiving the debt amount by giving the reasons of its inability to collect the amount because of numerous bandhs and blockades in the State, the source said adding that MAHUD has objected to waiving the debt amount, and has assigned the Council to collect octroi by itself instead relying on the agency.
The agency challenged MAHUD order in the High Court on November 9 and managed to stay the order.
Subsequently, the agency resumed collection of octroi, the reliable source further informed.
Dissatisfied with stay order, the source said, the Council challenged if and the Division Bench of the High Court comprising of Acting Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court Principal Seat Biswas and Justice BP Kakotey issued an order vacating the stay order.
The Division Bench order also gave clear instruction for maintaining all the accounts related to octroi collection and forbidded utilisation of the amount collected till the case is not over, the source informed.
With vacating of the stay order, IMC once again started collecting octroi since November 17.But it has been found that the agency too has been collecting octroi amounting to over lakhs of ruppes from various transport agencies in violation of the Court order, it said.
Meanwhile, the agency has filed an appeal against the order of the Division Bench vacating the earlier stay order.
The appeal is likely to be heard on coming Monday,' the source informed.
On the other hand, as the Division Bench order has put restriction on utilising octroi amount collected, the Council is said to not in a position to provide salaries to its employees.