Pandora Papers: Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Ambani among celebrities to have used offshore tax havens

[Mariyam]

On 10/5/2021 at 7:33 PM, Mariyam said:

Also there is *nothing* even remotely illegal in what Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has done. Please tell me what wrong has she done?

 

If you were to read the Indian Express headline on Pandora files, you'd think she is a con artist extraordinaire.

This is how sensationalised media outlets taint job creators in this country and get away scot free.

For all those swearing by the Pandora papers findings, I'm surprised ( or am I?)  no one has chosen to answer this.

[ravishingravi]

2 hours ago, Mariyam said:

For all those swearing by the Pandora papers findings, I'm surprised ( or am I?)  no one has chosen to answer this.

 

The issue was never about legality. The issue was of morality. Atleast for cases which use shell companies to funnel funds into tax havens. 

 

One who keeps complaining about the Indian state and regulations and fiscal deficit and poor infrastructure, will loose some moral high ground when you know that she doesn't pay her dues to the government. 

 

Again nothing wrong about it. Human beings are hypocrites by nature.  

[Mariyam]

6 minutes ago, ravishingravi said:

 

The issue was never about legality. The issue was of morality. Atleast for cases which use shell companies to funnel funds into tax havens. 

 

One who keeps complaining about the Indian state and regulations and fiscal deficit and poor infrastructure, will loose some moral high ground when you know that she doesn't pay her dues to the government. 

 

Again nothing wrong about it. Human beings are hypocrites by nature.  

Ravish this is *not* a legality vs morality issue. 

 

There are no Indian residents that hold the key to the off shore trust. Her husband started the trust much *before* Biocon was listed in India.

 

It's just shoddy reporting.

[rangeelaraja]

6 hours ago, Mariyam said:

@rangeelaraja

 

Of course he sold it off. Odd as it maybe, its his wish. You are making it sound as if its some cardinal sin.

 

There is nothing wrong in asking for an exemption. Every citizen can apply for an exemption. Its not something that happened ad hoc in the case of Sachin's Ferrari. Its a procedural practice and we have an institution that handle these requests, and another that does the valuation of the goods. This stuff is routine.

 

For instance, a B2B medical equipment marketing Unicorn routinely asked for exemption on certain "life saving machines" and it was found out that they had put hot water bags and stethoscopes also under the ' "life saving machine" BIS code. Obviously no exemption was given on that. And it became a joke/meme of sorts.

 

Point is, there is someone who won the nation laurels. He was gifted a vehicle (most probably as a tool to market the wider brand) he ostensibly didn't desire and asked for an exemption. What is so morally repugnant in this?

 

PS: @Trichromatic beat me to posting the link about FIAT.

 

 

Can a less influential person write to the Finance Minister and other senior BJP govt officers for PERSONAL favors and seek bending of the law ??

 

You can defend him all you want - he is disgracefully greedy and has abused his influence for personal gain time and again. 
 

He has not done any favors for India by playing cricket. Like I mentioned in a previous post - what Vishy Anand has done - 5 time world chess champion in a sport played by the entire world - is 100 times aaila’s achievement.

 

You will never here shameless stories of misusing  power and influence for personal gain about Anand. He is a class act, a genuinely humble and patriotic Indian. 
 

No false pretense of being a “Simple” , “humble” man like that “commercial artiste”. 

[Mariyam]

@rangeelaraja

 

Applying for an exemption is not bending the law but a bonafide part of the excise structure of India.

 

Here are some cases of exemption applications: https://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/customs/ecs-cs/exemptn/cs-exemptn-ecs-cases-idx

With the verdict ( Exemption granted or not, in the application).

 

Vishy Anand is a national treasure no doubt. He stayed in Spain for a vast majority of his playing career. Indian excise or tax laws are not applicable to him. Should we even draw parallels?

 

Anyways, lets agree to disagree on this. :)

[rangeelaraja]

20 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

@rangeelaraja

 

Applying for an exemption is not bending the law but a bonafide part of the excise structure of India.

 

Here are some cases of exemption applications: https://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/customs/ecs-cs/exemptn/cs-exemptn-ecs-cases-idx

With the verdict ( Exemption granted or not, in the application).

 

Vishy Anand is a national treasure no doubt. He stayed in Spain for a vast majority of his playing career. Indian excise or tax laws are not applicable to him. Should we even draw parallels?

 

Anyways, lets agree to disagree on this. :)

 

@Mariyam

 

This article clearly states that the custom act was amended for Tendulkar.

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/govt-bends-rules-for-sachins-car/articleshow/153399.cms

 

You seem to have missed ( or perhaps don't want to answer ? )  -- can a common man reach out to the Finance Minister and get the exemptions he desires?  How is allowing a fancy sports car in the country " exceptional circumstances" for a private individual ????

 

This is filthy abuse of power. And nothing better can be expected from that Dhongi  "humble" " simple"  " middle class"  SRT.

 

Anand stayed in Spain because most round the year high profile tournaments happen in Europe - he stayed in Spain on his own dime and for logistical reasons.

 

Not a fake, extremely pretentious  and deeply avarice afflicted  individual like Sachin despite being worth 100s of millions. 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by rangeelaraja

[Mariyam]

4 minutes ago, rangeelaraja said:

 

 

This article clearly states that the custom act was amended for him.

 

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/govt-bends-rules-for-sachins-car/articleshow/153399.cms

 

You seem to have missed ( or perhaps don't want to answer ? )  -- can a common man reach out to the Finance Minister and get the exemptions he desires? 

 

This is filthy abuse of power.

 

Anand stayed in Spain because most round the year high profile tournaments happen in Europe - he stayed in Spain on his own dime and for logistical reasons.

 

Not a parasite/blood sucker like Sachin despite being worth 100s of millions. 

 

 

I am aware of this amendment. In my initial post here I mentioned the sequence of events. It is a lot more nuanced than stating "the law was bent for Sachin".

 

The section 25(2) amendment to the Customs Act gives the government the power to review exemptions on a case to case basis. Reasons have to ratified by a committee and those reasons become the precedents for subsequent amendments. For examples, you can click the link in my previous post.

 

Sachin was one among many who requested exemptions on the goods bought into the country. His letter ( and BCCI's application) was entertained or probably his case was fast tracked because he was Sachin. But the point remains that there is nothing wrong in asking for an exemption.

 

Due to the media outcry and courts taking a suo moto, his exemption was rescinded. So the GoI did not lose out on any $ in this case, as FIAT eventually paid up.

 

Re: Anand, all I'm saying is that there is no comparison. The amount of money earned is vastly different and the tax/customs rules aren't the same.

 

 

[rangeelaraja]

18 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

I am aware of this amendment. In my initial post here I mentioned the sequence of events. It is a lot more nuanced than stating "the law was bent for Sachin".

 

The section 25(2) amendment to the Customs Act gives the government the power to review exemptions on a case to case basis. Reasons have to ratified by a committee and those reasons become the precedents for subsequent amendments. For examples, you can click the link in my previous post.

 

Sachin was one among many who requested exemptions on the goods bought into the country. His letter ( and BCCI's application) was entertained or probably his case was fast tracked because he was Sachin. But the point remains that there is nothing wrong in asking for an exemption.

 

Due to the media outcry and courts taking a suo moto, his exemption was rescinded. So the GoI did not lose out on any $ in this case, as FIAT eventually paid up.

 

Re: Anand, all I'm saying is that there is no comparison. The amount of money earned is vastly different and the tax/customs rules aren't the same.

 

 

 

@Mariyam

 

The case by case basis is based on "exceptional circumstances " and "public interest" 

 

How is getting in a fancy sports car for a private individual's benefit  - "exceptional circumstances " or  "public interest"  ???

 

You say  there is "nothing wrong " to demand invoking a customs act meant for actions in public interest and exceptional circumstances

--- when the intent is private leisure of one individual ( or lets call it aaiyaashi  ). 

 

It is disgraceful and shameless quite frankly -it is a blatant abuse of power - no common man can dream of asking for such exemptions.

 

And ofcourse such things can never ever be associated with Anand.   Anand is far too classy, graceful and humble and more importantly genuine.

 

Viewed objectively, cricket is a televised mass sports with more eye balls - when you take out that fluff and look at the sheer magnitude of achievement 

- Vishy Anand - 5 time world chess champion  stands alone. SRT's achievements comparatively are not even 1 %.

 

The difference is Chess is a game with low barriers to entry and played by over 120 countries vs. Cricket a game played at the highest level only  by 10 British commonwealth countries ( No Russia, No USA, No China, No continental Europe)....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2021 by rangeelaraja

[MechEng]

On 10/5/2021 at 12:13 PM, rangeelaraja said:

 

What is the definition of “extra taxes “ ?

 When the salaried middle class pays 30 % tax     directly deducted from their paycheck - why can’t someone who has made 100s of millions of dollars pay his fair share ?
 

Sachin may be a great cricketer and his money is certainly hard earned through legitimate means - but inspite the 100s of millions of dollars he has made - his avarice for more and more is pretty naked and disgusting and classless —always has been. 
 

Still remember that episode where he expected a tax waiver on a Ferrari because it was a “gift” but he had no qualms selling that  “gift “ for gain. 
 

https://m.economictimes.com/sachin-tendulkar-sells-ferrari-received-from-schumacher-invites-wrath-of-fans-on-social-networking-sites/articleshow/8982750.cms

 

Have seen numerous instances where he has sought privileges and favors that are reserved for VVIPs 

 

Yet his PR tries to assiduously project  the image of a “ simple “ man - the “simple “ man who would not lose any opportunity to avoid paying his fair share to the exchequer of the country that has given him everything. 
 

The Bharat Ratna’s stature was tarnished forever when Sachin got it by sucking up to the most corrupt Congress govt under Manmohan Singh. 
 

Imagine this Vishwanathan Anand  - a 5 time World Chess Champion —-  a game played by every nation on the planet gets only a Padma Vibhushan, while Sachin gets the Bharat Ratna for a sport played seriously by 10 former commonwealth countries. Bloody joke. 

 

Anand’s achievement is 100 times Sachin. 
 

And Anand is actually super  humble - no entitlement - no mask of  fake modesty or fake patriotism. 

Heck even Vikram Sarabhai - the co-founder of ISRO and IIM - Ahmedabad - 2 of India’s priceless Crown Jewels - doesn’t get Bharat Ratna but a serial tax evader like Sachin does. 
 

 

 

 

Gollum has 2 accounts??