Team-BHP - RTO faces allegations of showing imported cars as Indian made.

The below was published in Ahmedabad Mirror today. I really dont understand how RTO can do such a thing when all car prices are published openly. Also how can they show less than the actual bill amount? e.g "An Audi A8 (actual cost Rs 72.50 lakh) was shown priced Rs 27.56 lakh"
how is this possible? you guys think the car dealers also involved in this? They have published the Registration number, car models, Vehilcle tax details in pic below.

RTO faces allegations of showing imported cars as Indian made and giving huge tax discounts to buyers

The Regional Transport Office, Ahmedabad faces allegations of irregularities involving vehicle tax on imported cars. Vehicle tax amounting to Rs 36.76 lakh has been evaded through partial waivers granted to buyers by conniving RTO officials. This figures pertains to eight imported cars which are Mercedes Benzs, Audis and BMWs. The issue was discussed in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Vehicles imported by individial attract 12 per cent tax while those bought by corporates are levied 24 per cent tax.
The Assembly discussed how corrupt RTO officials had showed the purchase price of these vehicles much below the actual cost and had , in some cases, charged only 6 per cent tax as applicable to Indianmade vehicles.
An Audi A8 (actual cost Rs 72.50 lakh) was shown priced Rs 27.56 lakh; in the case of a Mercedes Benz, necessary documents needed to establish the purchase price of the car had not been submitted and vehicle tax had been recovered at a rate indicated by RTO officials. Five cars have been shown as manufactured locally.
“Such blatant evasion is not possible without involvement of RTO officials who are well aware of prevailing tax rates of models of imported cars,” RTO sources said. Assistant Regional Transport Officer R J Patel, when called, said he could not comment on the issue.

Source : Welcome - Times Of India ePaper

Anyone noticed the tax paid on the first car? GJ 1 HR 1415 compared to the rest of other cars mentioned? Is that a typo on the 0? But if you look at the last one GJ 1 HQ 9103, it reads as tax waiver instead of tax paid for the rest.

Interestingly, look at the prices of Audi A4 2.0 TDI that has price ranging from 25.42L to 31.3L & all of them ar GJ registered and hey I also see all the cars are GJ registered. Besides when I checked Audi India site, I could see only one variant being sold in A4 series. Doesn't this sound something real fishy?

So where's the surprise ? As I have quoted elsewhere the RTO's have an average "billing" of anywhere from 15L to 20L per month for Tier 3 cities. I have an RTO chap living nearby who proudly claims this. This is the stark reality and gutter situation we have and what can be done as long as our system allows this (Everyone in the chain making a cut and covering each other butts).

Unfortunate, but such is the state of affairs in India. It's pretty darn obvious that RTO officials were paid cash "under the table".....this is a known nexus between RTO officials & dealers. The real idiots, though, are the car owners. Primary reason being, when such cases come to light, its they who are responsible to pay the difference + whopping penalties. I find it hard to believe that someone who buys an S Class for 80 lakh rupees could be so penny wise & pound foolish.

I could see some of them have paid around 1.5 lakh tax instead of 3.5 lakh actual tax. when the buy giving a huge amount in buying a car and why they become kanjues in paying tax.It would be an embarrassing moment for the owners to see their car numbers involved, instead they would have paid another 2 lakh tax to avoid this embarrassing moment.

I have one more question when many imports are registered why only few have evaded tax, this means a superior power to RTO(MLA,MP) should also be invloved to make this tax evade.

aargee:All A4 have only one engine in the list and their price might be varied based on the optional ones getting added