Fortis owners in the dock for ‘dodging’ Rs 100cr import duty on luxury aircraft

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has impounded 6 luxury aircraft from a company owned by the Fortis Group for alleged duty evasion to the tune of  Rs100 crore.  Six aircraft, including <g data-gr-id="28">beachcraft</g> and others, were being used for private purposes though they were imported for charter services and no duty was paid. All these aircraft are owned by Ligare Aviation, belonging to owners of the Fortis group, Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh.

DRI issued notices to them for alleged duty <g data-gr-id="37">evasion</g> but <g data-gr-id="27">Ligare</g>  secured a stay order from the court which clearly instructed that they could not sell these aircraft in between. Allegedly, Ligare covertly changed the ownership of all these aircraft to a foreign company and got it ratified with the help of officials in the directorate general of civil aviation. DRI saw this as a clear violation of court orders and after that they swooped into action and impounded 6 aircraft. According to top Revenue Ministry officials, DRI will soon call Malvinder and Shivinder Mohan Singh for interrogation.

 This company has a fleet of 8 aircraft and helicopters, of which three are of king air <g data-gr-id="25">beachcraft</g> B 200, each coming at price tag of Rs 30 crore, 2 Falcon 2000 each costing Rs150 crore and one Falcon SX priced at Rs 200 crore and can fly non-stop from Delhi to London. Other than that they also have one Bell 430 helicopter and one Augusta 109 helicopter. As per Indian law, if any <g data-gr-id="26">non scheduled</g> airline brings aircraft to India for charter services, then it is exempt from import duty. But if someone uses it for <g data-gr-id="32">private</g> purpose, then they have to fork out 19 per cent customs duty.

It may be recalled in July 2008, in similar case The air intelligence unit (AIU) of the customs department at Mumbai airport seized and sealed two aircraft – a Falcon 900 Ex and an Airbus 319 – belonging to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for non-payment of duty.

Mukesh Ambani had gifted the A-319 luxury jet to wife Nita on her 44th birthday.