Contents
Key Highlights of the Court’s Decision
- Court Directs Immediate Release: The Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the Indore Municipal Corporation to release musical instruments seized from Singer Honey Singh’s concert due to non-payment of entertainment tax.
- Judicial Observation: Justice Subodh Abhyankar ruled that the seized equipment should be returned immediately during the course of the day on an undertaking that all tax liabilities will be fulfilled once finalized.
Background of the Case
- Petition Against Demand Notice: The case was filed against a demand notice issued by the Indore Municipal Corporation, directing the petitioner to deposit ₹50 lakh towards entertainment tax.
- Tax Discrepancy: The Municipal Corporation’s demand was based on the GST portal’s data, showing a revenue of ₹32,80,11,74.21 for all ten events. However, the petitioner claimed only ₹78,47,637 worth of tickets were sold in Indore, with ₹7,84,764 entertainment tax already deposited.
Concerns Raised by the Petitioner
- Impact on Nationwide Tour: The petitioner, sponsoring Honey Singh’s concert across multiple cities, argued that the seizure would disrupt events in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Kolkata.
- Potential Law and Order Issues: The petitioner contended that canceling the concerts due to seized equipment could lead to financial losses and law and order problems.
Court’s Directives
- Immediate Release of Equipment: The Court directed the Indore Municipal Corporation to release all seized instruments from March 9, 2025.
- Deposit Requirement: Each petitioner in W.P. No. 9491/2025 and W.P. No. 9488/2025 must deposit ₹5,00,000 each (₹5 Lakhs) within three working days.
- Next Hearing Date: The case is scheduled for further hearing on April 25, 2025.
Case Details
- Case Title: T.V. Today Network Limited Through Its Authorized Representative Vs The State Of Madhya Pradesh And Others
- Case Number: WP No. 9491 of 2025
- Petitioner’s Counsel: Adv. Jagdish Baheti, Adv. Prabuddha Singh, Adv. Mohit Matta
- Respondent’s Counsel: Adv. Shashank Shrivastava
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