Actor Sudeep slams arbitrary GST, says ‘people are disappointed, but scared to speak up’

coastaldigest.com news network
October 29, 2017

Bengaluru, Oct 29: Even as Tamil film actor Vijay faced the wrath of Sangh Parivar for questioning the arbitrary imposition of Goods and Services Tax by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government in Mersal, another south Indian super star has exhibited courage to raise voice against looting the money of the poor people in the name of ‘tax reformation’.

Sudeep, who predominantly appears in Kannada films, has openly expressed discontentment with the new tax regime. “Though it is being claimed that it is ‘One Nation, One Tax, One Market,’ the tax structure is different in various parts of the country and people are suffering because of this. People had pinned their hopes on the new tax system, but they are left disappointed,” he said during a chat with a news channel recently.

Saying it has become difficult to question the tax regime, he said: “People are afraid to ask questions and are silently enduring the pain as they fear raids.”

He, however, went on to say that he does not know accounting or auditing, but only feels the pinch as a layman.

Other actors too raise voice

Multilingual actor and director Prakash Raj too expressed concern over the imposition GST on even handmade products. “It is unfair to impose GST on handmade products,” he said, adding that it surprising that this was coming from a government that has spoken of ‘Make in India’ and of creating jobs, he said.

Noting that Mr. Sudeep has expressed his sentiments in a mild manner, national award-winning director B. Suresh said, “Besides subscribing to the opinion of Sudeep and supporting the opinions aired in Mersal, I urge the Centre to immediately offer zero tax benefit to handmade products in order to protect the dignity of a class still dependent on manual labour.”

Actor Sanjana Galrani said the tax regime has burdened the poor. Actor Chetan said it has created more confusion than clarity.

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News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

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News Network
December 2,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Mangaluru International Airport responded to a medical emergency late on Monday night. Air India Express flight IX 522, travelling from Riyadh to Thiruvananthapuram, was diverted to Mangaluru Airport after a passenger in his late 30s experienced a medical emergency on board.

The Airport’s Operations Control Centre received an alert regarding the passenger’s health condition. The airport activated its emergency response protocol, mobilising the airport medical team and coordinating with stakeholders including CISF, immigration, and customs. 

Upon landing, airport medical personnel attended to the passenger, assessed his condition, and arranged to shift him to a local tertiary-care hospital for further treatment. The passenger’s relatives accompanied the passenger, who incidentally received necessary medical care on board, which helped stabilise the situation.

Following the handling of the emergency, the flight departed for Thiruvananthapuram at 2:05 am on Tuesday.

"We appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved, and this incident reaffirms our ongoing commitment to prioritising passenger safety and readiness to respond to unforeseen emergencies with professionalism and care," the Airport spokesperson said. 

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News Network
December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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