New Delhi: In yet another setback for Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, the Supreme Court recently upheld a tribunal court order for payment of Rs 4.5 crore to tax authorities for charging an entry fee at yoga camps.
A SC bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan refused to interfere with the October 5, 2023, decision of Allahabad bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).
“The tribunal has rightly held that Yoga in camps for a fee is a service. We do not find any reason to interfere with the impugned order. The appeal is dismissed,” the bench said.
The CESTAT, in its order, had held that yoga camps organised by Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust, which charges fees for participation, come under the category of “health and fitness service” and attract service tax.
It may be mentioned here that Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, Meerut range, had raised service tax demand of approximately Rs 4.5 crore with penalty and interest for entry fee taken by Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balakrishna from October 2006 to March 2011 for yoga camps organised.
The tribunal had said that the organisation is liable to pay service tax for both residential and non-residential yoga camps, as a fee was collected from the participants by way of donation.
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