Kingfisher has cleared Dec's service tax dues: CBEC's Goel

There is some relief for struggling carrier Kingfisher Airlines. CBEC chairman SK Goel has said that Kingfisher has cleared all service tax dues for the month of December.

He said, "Kingfisher has paid Rs 20 crore in the month of January. On January 6, 2012 they paid some amount and again on January 10 they paid some amount. They have already paid Rs 20 crore service tax, so the December due they have paid. They have also paid some part of the arrears."
The cash-strapped airline has told aviation minister Ajit Singh that it will not be able to maintain normal operations without a temporary bank overdraft, the Financial Express newspaper reported on Tuesday.
Kingfisher will require help to pay creditors to avoid having to ground aircraft, Vijay Mallya, chairman of the struggling carrier wrote to Singh in a letter seen by the newspaper.
"Our lessors have gone to court in London against non payment of lease rentals. If we don't clear dues, our aircraft will be grounded," Mallya was reported as writing.
A Kingfisher spokesman declined to comment on the report when contacted by Reuters. With inputs from Reuters