A high-octane concert by rapper-singer Honey Singh in Indore turned contentious after Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) seized the sound equipment worth Rs 1 crore over alleged non-payment of entertainment taxes. The move came hours after the event, which left the fans disgruntled due to its abbreviated duration, while spotlighting a financial tussle between authorities and organisers. The IMC had demanded Rs 50 lakh as entertainment tax for March 8 concert, part of Honey Singh’s ongoing Millionaire India Tour. However, organisers reportedly paid only Rs 7.75 lakh, prompting the civic body to take action.

 

Deputy Commissioner Lata Agrawal stated that despite repeated notices, the organisers refused to furnish a cheque for the remaining amount. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava had earlier directed the police and district administration to withhold permissions until the tax was settled. On Saturday, IMC officials flagged via the GST portal that tickets worth Rs 3.28 crore were sold, mandating a 10% advance tax (Rs 32.8 lakh) under entertainment and amusement tax rules. Organisers, however, claimed revenue of merely Rs 80 lakh, citing heavy distribution of complimentary passes and ‘no significant profit’. The event, held at a packed venue, saw Honey Singh arrive in a helicopter, performing 10 songs for over 90 minutes. While the artist praised Indore as the ‘city of poets’ attendees expressed frustration over the show’s abrupt end. IMC clarified it did not interfere during the performance but acted post-event, confiscating equipment on Sunday morning.

 

The organisers contested the IMC’s tax calculation, arguing that their actual earnings fell short due to free passes and operational costs. They initially agreed to pay Rs 6.7 lakh (10% of Rs 67 lakh projected income) but balked at submitting a written affidavit. Post-negotiations, the concert was allowed to proceed, though the tax dispute lingered. The IMC has now mandated a Chartered Accountant (CA) report from the organisers to reconcile the revenue discrepancy. “The pending tax will be recovered based on the CA’s findings,” Agrawal added. Municipal Commissioner Shivam Verma, monitoring the situation from Patna, ordered strict action against defaulters. The seizure underscores IMC’s tightened enforcement on entertainment tax compliance, particularly for high-profile events. Undeterred by the controversy, Honey Singh proceeded to Dubai after the Indore leg, marking his fourth stop in the 10-city tour.

 

On social media platform X, he shared clips of his helicopter entrance, concert snippets and a jet departure, captioning one video, “Four shows done… Dubai for a week.” The dispute highlights the challenges in balancing civic fiscal demands with the logistics of large-scale events, leaving both authorities and organisers grappling over accountability and transparency. As IMC pursues recovery, the incident serves as a cautionary tale for event planners in the region.