Service Tax Dept targeting film industry: Ram Gopal Verma

Sep 13, 2013 IANS

Mumbai, Sep 13 (IANS) Filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma, whose office was searched by the service tax department, alleges that the officials are "targeting" the film industry on purpose.

Seaches were conducted at Verma's office by the service tax department Thursday. He said there is a lot of "ambiguity" over the tax scheme, which the government has offered.

"Like several other filmmakers, we were also completely unaware of our service tax exposure, over which there was a lot of ambiguity due to different interpretations," Verma, who has made films like "Company", said Friday in a statement.

"However, all filmmakers are looking at taking the benefit of the scheme that the government has offered... but even before we could start the due process, the department is targeting the film industry and is also discussing our privileged details with press in the public domain, which is very unfortunate," he added.

Reportedly other celebrities, who have been summoned by the service tax department, include Shweta Tiwari and Anurag Kashyap.