Latest news with #ArpanChaturvedi
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Samsung India executives seek to quash $81 million penalty over tax evasion
By Arpan Chaturvedi NEW DELHI: Seven Samsung India executives have asked a court to revoke penalties of $81 million included in New Delhi's $601-million tax demand from the company for allegedly misclassifying some imports, arguing "no grave offence" had been committed, according to legal papers and a source. The Indian tax authority in January found Samsung and its executives evaded tariffs by misclassifying imports of key mobile tower equipment from 2018 to 2021. Samsung has separately challenged the order before a tax appeals tribunal, where it has defended its declarations and denied any wrongdoing. While Samsung's India unit faced a $520 million demand, employees were asked to pay penalties totaling $81 million for "knowingly and intentionally" playing a role in the misclassification of imports. In a High Court filing in Mumbai which was not made public but was seen by Reuters, Samsung India logistics executive Ravi Chadha said the authorities issued the penalty within two to three days of receiving hundreds of pages of detailed responses from the company and its executives in January, and the process was "rushed". "This timeframe is utterly insufficient to conduct the requisite in-depth study," read the filing by Chadha, who faces a fine of 950 million rupees ($11.1 million). "The present case is limited to the interpretation of tariff entries, no grave offence has been committed." Samsung India and Chadha did not respond to Reuters queries. India's tax authority did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Online court records show the six other executives including the network division's vice president, Sung Beam Hong, a general manager for finance, Sheetal Jain, and Samsung's general manager for indirect taxes, Nikhil Aggarwal, have also challenged the tax authority's order. The lawyer for all seven executives, Sriram Sridharan of Indian law firm Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The law firm also represents Samsung in the tax appeals tribunal challenge. Their pleas and grounds for revoking the penalty are identical to Chadha's, said a source with direct knowledge of the ongoing lawsuits. In his court filing, Chadha argued that the "egregiously exorbitant" penalty is impossible for any salaried employee to bear, and it would take him more than 100 years to settle the amount given his earnings.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Samsung India executives seek to quash $81 million penalty over tax evasion
By Arpan Chaturvedi NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Seven Samsung India executives have asked a court to revoke penalties of $81 million included in New Delhi's $601-million tax demand from the company for allegedly misclassifying some imports, arguing "no grave offence" had been committed, according to legal papers and a source. The Indian tax authority in January found Samsung and its executives evaded tariffs by misclassifying imports of key mobile tower equipment from 2018 to 2021. Samsung has separately challenged the order before a tax appeals tribunal, where it has defended its declarations and denied any wrongdoing. While Samsung's India unit faced a $520 million demand, employees were asked to pay penalties totaling $81 million for "knowingly and intentionally" playing a role in the misclassification of imports. In a High Court filing in Mumbai which was not made public but was seen by Reuters, Samsung India logistics executive Ravi Chadha said the authorities issued the penalty within two to three days of receiving hundreds of pages of detailed responses from the company and its executives in January, and the process was "rushed". "This timeframe is utterly insufficient to conduct the requisite in-depth study," read the filing by Chadha, who faces a fine of 950 million rupees ($11.1 million). "The present case is limited to the interpretation of tariff entries, no grave offence has been committed." Samsung India and Chadha did not respond to Reuters queries. India's tax authority did not respond immediately to requests for comment. Online court records show the six other executives including the network division's vice president, Sung Beam Hong, a general manager for finance, Sheetal Jain, and Samsung's general manager for indirect taxes, Nikhil Aggarwal, have also challenged the tax authority's order. The lawyer for all seven executives, Sriram Sridharan of Indian law firm Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The law firm also represents Samsung in the tax appeals tribunal challenge. Their pleas and grounds for revoking the penalty are identical to Chadha's, said a source with direct knowledge of the ongoing lawsuits. In his court filing, Chadha argued that the "egregiously exorbitant" penalty is impossible for any salaried employee to bear, and it would take him more than 100 years to settle the amount given his earnings.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
India says it has powers to suspend Celebi's clearance without warning
By Arpan Chaturvedi NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's government told a court on Thursday it was well within New Delhi's legal powers to revoke Turkey-based Celebi's clearance to provide aviation ground services without giving it advance warning, given the matter concerned national security. Celebi's clearance was cancelled by India last week amid growing public anger after Turkey supported Pakistan in the recent India-Pakistan conflict. Indians have also been boycotting everything from Turkish coffee, jams and chocolates to Turkey holidays. Celebi asked the Delhi High Court this week to quash the cancellation by arguing it was issued without any warning and based on "vague" and unexplained "national security" concerns, but Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said on Thursday it did not need to share details of its reasons with the company. Indian courts have previously held that in some cases national security concerns can outweigh the requirement of fairness and in this case, there was no need to comply with principles of natural justice, he said. "In some situations, it is not possible to give reasons of action and neither giving a hearing is possible," Mehta said in the court in Indian government's first detailed remarks on Celebi's challenge. The Indian government handed some details to Justice Sachin Datta in a sealed envelope. The case will next be heard on Friday. Earlier in the day, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's foreign ministry, said the Celebi matter had been discussed with the Turkish embassy in New Delhi. Celebi argued in its court filing that the decision impacts 3,791 jobs and investor confidence. It added that it provided ground handling services at airports in New Delhi, Kerala, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Goa. In defending Celebi's cancellation, Mehta also argued on Thursday that airport ground operators have detailed access to the physical infrastructure as well as passenger details including VIP movements. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Turkey's Celebi sues India over 'vague' clearance pullback amid Pakistan conflict
By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Turkey-based Celebi, which provides airport ground handling in India, has launched a legal challenge to New Delhi's decision to overturn its security clearance, arguing that "vague" national security concerns were cited without reasoning. Amid growing public anger in India about Turkey's stance on Pakistan in the India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian government on Thursday revoked Celebi's security clearance in the "interest of national security". Celebi Airport Services India, in a May 16 filing seen by Reuters, asked the Delhi High Court to set aside that decision, arguing it would impact 3,791 jobs and investor confidence, and was issued without any warning to the company. "Mere rhetoric of national security without elaborating upon in what manner is an entity a threat to national security is unsustainable in law," the company said in the filing, which is not public. The order "fails to disclose any specific or substantive reason except for a vague and general reference to 'national security'... (it) provides no reasons or justification," it added. India's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is likely to be heard on Monday. In its filing, Celebi said that while its shareholders were registered in Turkey, "majority end control" of the group is held by companies that do not have Turkish incorporation or origin. In revoking Celebi's clearance on Thursday, India's junior aviation minister Murlidhar Mohol said on X the government had received requests from across India to ban Celebi. "Recognising the seriousness of the issue and the call to protect national interests, we have taken cognizance of these requests," he said. The Shiv Sena party, a key ally in Modi's government, had held protests against Celebi in Mumbai this week, demanding the city's airport sever ties with it. Celebi in its filing said it was providing ground handling services at airports in New Delhi, Kerala, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Goa. It had undergone background checks and security verifications by various national security and intelligence agencies in India before starting work, it added. Delhi Airport late on Thursday said on X it had "officially ended its association with Celebi" for ground handling and cargo operations. Reuters reported on Friday that Air India was lobbying Indian officials to halt rival IndiGo's leasing tie-up with Turkish Airlines, citing business impact as well as security concerns sparked by Istanbul's support for Pakistan. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Turkey's Celebi sues India over 'vague' clearance pullback amid Pakistan conflict
By Arpan Chaturvedi and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Turkey-based Celebi, a provider of airport ground handling in India, has launched a legal challenge to New Delhi's decision to overturn its security clearance, arguing in a court filing that "vague" national security concerns were cited without reasoning. Amid growing public anger in India about Turkey's stance on Pakistan in the India-Pakistan conflict, the Indian government on Thursday revoked Celebi's security clearance in the "interest of national security." Celebi Airport Services India, in a May 16 filing seen by Reuters, asked the Delhi High Court to set aside that decision, arguing it would impact 3,791 jobs and investor confidence, and was issued without any warning to the company. "Mere rhetoric of national security without elaborating upon in what manner is an entity a threat to national security is unsustainable in law," the company said in the filing, which is not public. Its details have not previously been reported. India's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is likely to be heard on Monday. In its filing, Celebi also said its shareholders were registered in Turkey, but the "majority end control" is held by companies of global repute who do not have Turkish incorporation or origin. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
