Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a dramatic turn of events on Saturday, a team from the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) made a surprise entry at the venue of Punjabi singer Karan Aujla’s live concert and seized sound equipment over non-payment of entertainment tax.
The civic body team reached the concert venue at C21 Ground on the Bypass just hours before the show, stating that the organisers had not paid the mandatory entertainment tax as per rules. Eyewitnesses and videos circulating on social media showed IMC personnel climbing the stage and loading sound equipment onto trucks, suggesting a seizure drive.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav, however, denied any seizure of equipment and said the visit was only to ensure compliance and counsel the organisers on tax payment.
Officials said organisers had deposited ?7.70 lakh as entertainment tax two days before the event. As per municipal norms, they must pay 10% of total ticket sales, which reportedly ranged from a few thousand rupees to as high as ?6 lakh per ticket. The IMC team intervened after finding the amount insufficient.
Following the on-site discussions, the organisers deposited an additional ?20 lakh into the civic body’s account just hours before the concert.
Additional Commissioner Akash Singh said officials informed the organisers about the rules and asked them to clear the remaining dues. “We only ensured that the tax is paid as per norms. No material was seized,” he said.
Despite the brief disruption and conflicting claims over an alleged seizure, the issue was resolved in time, and Karan Aujla performed later that night, marking his first live show in Indore as part of his 11-city P-Pop Culture tour.
The IMC has tightened monitoring of large-scale events after past instances of unpaid taxes, including a show by Yo Yo Honey Singh. Authorities have since ensured strict compliance, including tax collection from concerts by Diljit Dosanjh and Arijit Singh.
