Luxury car case: Jail verdict for Sasikala's husband Natarajan upheld

On November 17, the Madras High Court upheld the 2-year jail term awarded to Sasikala's husband M.Natarajan in the luxury car case. He had allegedly evaded customs duty on the import of luxury car. The court also confirmed a CBI Special Court's 2010 ruling of two-years jail for three others in the case. According to an article by The Hindu, Natarajan had imported a new Lexus car, forging the papers to show that it was made in 1993, thus evading a duty of over Rs 1.6 crore.

Cases were filed in the Metropolitan Magistrate court in Egmore and in the Special CBI Court. The Enforcement Directorate had also filed a case under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) 1973, and Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. Later the CBI filed case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998 and sections of the Indian Penal Code. 

The CBI had registered a case against Natarajan, his nephew V. Baskaran, Balakrishnan, his son Yogesh Balakrishnan and two officials of the Indian Bank. One of the bank officials also turned approver. With Balakrishnan on the run, the case was proceeded against the remaining four who were convicted by the CBI court. In the year 2010, the CBI had alleged conspiracy, forgery, cheating and tax invasion against Natarajan. 

They moved the Madras High Court against it. It is said that the Income Tax officials recently searched the premises of Natarajan. Meanwhile, Natarajan's counsel requested the court to reduce the sentence, but the court denied. 

• tamil nadu
• south
• sasikala
• natarajan
• luxury car case