Super Star Mahesh Babu's multiplex AMB (Asian Mahesh Babu) Cinemas has been fast becoming the favorite movie watching destination for movie lovers for the world class experience it is providing. In the midst of all this, the theatre management hogged the media limelight for the wrong reasons.
GST anti profiteering wing, Ranga Reddy district officials who conducted surprise raids on the theatre found out that the management had not reduced the prices of tickets which came into effect from Jan 1st after the GST Council had reduced the tax on tickets costing more than Rs 100 from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Where the ticket price was Rs 100 or less, the GST rate was pegged at 12 per cent from 18 per cent earlier.
The officials booked a case under Section 171 of the CGST Act, 2017 and also served show cause notice to Mahesh Babu. Earlier, Mahesh Babu got GST shock in last December when GST officials attached two bank accounts of him for failing to pay service tax of Rs 18.5 lakh for the financial year 2007-08.
Mahesh during that time took on the GST officials saying, "Mahesh Babu is a law abiding citizen complying with all fiscal legislations and has no undisputed tax payable."
It has to be seen how Mahesh Babu will react to the new controversy. For long Mahesh has been suspecting that owing to his family members political affiliation to the ruling TDP, he may be facing music from various government investigating agencies. Currently Mahesh is busy with his milestone 25th film Maharshi under the direction of Vamsi Paidipally.