Health Bulletin 18/ December/ 2024 - Video

The Kerala High Court recently held that 'sophisticated medical beds' provided for expecting mothers would be subject to luxury tax under the Kerala Tax on Luxuries Act of 1976.

This observation was made by the High Court bench while stressing that ultimately it was the "experience of luxury as regards the accommodation/amenities in the hospital" that was being taxed.

In a shocking incident, a homoeopathic doctor was allegedly kidnapped, held hostage for two days, and coerced into paying a ransom of Rs 7 lakh. Three men, including a D Pharma graduate who is believed to be the mastermind, have been arrested in connection with the case.

It was revealed that the kidnappers demanded Rs 20 lakh from the doctor, however, he negotiated it down and the accused were able to siphon off only Rs 7 lakh. After extorting the money, they abandoned the doctor, which led to the case being registered and an investigation being launched.

The Income Tax Department on the morning of December 18, 2024, raided both the residence and hospital of Dr Sumita Sofat, a prominent fertility expert in Ludhiana, Punjab. The raids were conducted in connection with an alleged tax fraud case, with officials investigating and reviewing various documents related to Dr Sofat's medical practice.

The raid comes after allegations of tax evasion surfaced, prompting the Income Tax Department to take action. Sources have indicated that the investigation is in its early stages, and officials are scrutinizing financial documents to uncover any discrepancies or evidence of fraudulent activities.