Johnson & Johnson has to pay Rs 230.4 crore plus interest within three months as the local unit of J&J has failed to pass on benefits under the Goods & Services Tax (GST), reports Mint .
As per the report, the National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) has issued an order signed by Chairman BN Sharma that instructs the US-based company to deposit the said amount with 18 percent interest in the national consumer welfare fund.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.
In case the company fails to make the payment within the stipulated period, central and state
GST officials will be entitled to recover the same, as per the NAA order. Officials have been ordered to issue a notice to state why the company should not pay the penalty as it holds J&J 'apparently liable' for the same.
J&J was earlier cleared in the infamous US case where the J&J baby powder, arguably the most famous product of the company, had been accused of being responsible for causing cancer to a Missouri woman.
The verdict concluded that the product had not caused the woman’s disease.
Source: moneycontrol.com