The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed actor-producer Suriya's plea against the order of the Income Tax Department asking him to pay Rs 3 crores. The order was issued by the IT department in 2011 stating the Soorarai Pottru actor to pay an estimated 3 crore 11 lakh 96 thousand rupees for the years 2007-08 and 2008-09. Upon hearing the argument of the Income Tax Department, Madras HC's Justice SM Subramaniam dismissed the case. Suriya's side had earlier made a plea to the court in the income tax case and requested that the actor be given an exemption in the event of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal making an appeal after three years.
In that light, Suriya's manager and Co-Producer of 2D Entertainment Pvt Ltd Rajsekar Pandian took to Twitter on Tuesday to issue a clarification on the issue and wrote, "ITax and Interest there on were paid and adjusted in totality with absolute cooperation, as on today there are no dues payable from our side! The dispute is only regarding refund of Interest by department! Appeal will be preferred on receipt and perusal of the original order." Below is Rajsekar's tweet:
In the meantime, the Income Tax Department stated that Suriya is not granted eligibility for an interest deduction as he had not cooperated fully during the income tax assessment process. The IT dept had earlier in 2010 raided the residences of Suriya and some of his associates at T. Nagar, Boat Club and other offices and establishments. Likewise, the offices of Suriya's charity trust, Agaram Foundation, too had come under the IT scanner back then.
On the work front, Suriya, who was last seen in the 'Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru' segment directed by Gautham Menon in Mani Ratnam's anthology Navarasa, is currently attached to several high-profile ventures among which include Etharkkum Thunindhavan under the prestigious Sun Pictures banner, followed by the legal drama Jai Bhim being produced by his 2D Entertainment.