Sonal Chauhan's trip to Macau over the weekend for an awards event ended on a bitter note.
On her arrival in Mumbai on Sunday night, the actress was intercepted by the airport customs for carrying high-end brands. She was fined Rs 85, 000 and then allowed to go.
The Jannat actress had picked up two branded designer bags at the Hong Kong airport. She was carrying her purchases and walking through the green channel, when she was stopped.
Says an onlooker, "Sonal had a suitcase and her two purchases in her hand. She did not realise that she would come under the Customs scanner. She was asked to show the receipts for the Salvatore Ferragamo and Chanel bags she had bought."
The starlet had her proof of purchase with her and according to the costs she was asked to pay Rs 85, 000 as fine for evading duty.
A source close to the actress states, "She did not want to create a scene as people had started gathering around when the customs folk were questioning her. She co-operated with them, paid the fine and was then allowed to go."
Bollywood folk in the Customs net...
On January 7, Dia Mirza was fined Rs 50,000 for not declaring her branded bags/cosmetics worth over Rs 2 lakh on her return from Bangkok.
In August last year, Ekta Kapoor was fined Rs 50,000 for not declaring her branded buys on returning from Bangkok.
In June last year, Anushka Sharma was questioned while returning from an awards event in Toronto for carrying undeclared jewellery.
In May last year, Minissha Lamba was apprehended for carrying jewellery worth over Rs 50 lakh on her way back from the Cannes film festival.
In the same month, Bipasha Basu had to pay about Rs 12,000 for carrying branded stuff on her arrival from London while Vikram Lamba (Mallika Sherawat's brother) was detained for carrying foreign currency and high -end goods on his arrival from Dubai.
