Pankaja Munde using Delhi SUV without paying tax in Maha: AAP

Mumbai, Jul 27: Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday accused Women and Child Welfare Minister Pankaja Munde of "avoiding" paying tax to Maharashtra government despite using a Delhi-registered SUV here and "illegally" fitting a red beacon on it, which it said is a "common practice" for VVIPs of the BJP-Sena government.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon has also alleged that the vehicle is registered under the name of Radico NV Distilleries which is an Aurangabad-based company where Munde's husband, Charudatta Palwe is a Director.

"It has been reported that her (Munde's) Range Rover is the most expensive vehicle in use by any minister. However, while Munde can easily afford an expensive vehicle, what she cannot afford is to pay state taxes.

"Her Range Rover with license plate DL 12 CD 1212, used continually with a red beacon, is registered in Delhi under the name of Radico NV Distilleries which is an Aurangabad-based company where Pankaja Munde's husband, Charudatta Palwe is a Director," Preeti stated.

She said AAP even wrote to Delhi Transport Ministry and found that "no NOC has been applied to transfer the vehicle to Maharashtra".

"If a common citizen were to continually use a vehicle registered in another state, without transferring the vehicle and without paying state taxes, there would be swift action against him or her. But our high profile Minister Pankaja Munde is avoiding state taxes by openly plying a Delhi-registered vehicle on a continuous basis in Maharashtra, without paying Maharashtra taxes, and with an illegal red beacon to top it all," she said in a statement.

Preeti said AAP viewed it as an example of "moral bankruptcy" of the BJP-Sena ministers who "flout all rules despite being continually accused in one scam after the other".

Preeti said AAP has written a complaint to Transport Commissioner, Shyam Wardhane and also to Chief Minister.

"However, we are certain that no action will be taken because under Modi Sarkar, only AAP MLAs get arrested and all BJP ministers get clean chits," she alleged. Munde was unavailable for comment.

PTI