Service Tax - Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singhto face prosecution - reports NDTV
NDTV reported today morning that Cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh could face prosecution for "non-payment" of service tax to the tune of Crores of rupees. According to NDTV, P K Shirohi, Commissioner (Excise and Customs), told that Harbhajan has been asked to cough up Rs. 2.5 crore to Rs. 3 crore in service tax and Yuvi has been asked to pay Rs. 1.5 crore. Replying to a question, Shirohi said "yes, they (Harbhajan and Yuvi) can be prosecuted".
This report shows how callous our prestigious national media is while reporting tax matters. Some other channel had reported it and NDTV could not lag behind.
First of all Mr. Shirohi is not the Commissioner, but Chief Commissioner and he could not have certainly made the statement that the cricketers can be prosecuted for non-payment of Service Tax. He should surely know that there is no prosecution in Service Tax. The only problem is that the wise men in NDTV do not know that there is no prosecution in Service Tax. And they go to town with a prominent news that the cricketers can be prosecuted.
This is the unfortunate state of affairs when there is an unholy urgency to break news.
But why should the Department rush to the Press, whenever they detect a case. We understand that not even a Show Cause Notice is issued to any of the two cricketers and already NDTV is talking of prosecution! And tracing their source to a Chief Commissioner and calling him a Commissioner!
Publication of names of alleged offenders tarnish their image, especially when they are international celebrities.
While it is a daily struggle for us to get the public Notifications and Circulars of the Board, it is unfortunate that mere allegations are leaked and prominently carried in the National Media.