In a massive development, The Income Tax (IT) Department on Tuesday carried out searches at the Delhi and Mumbai offices of the British broadcaster BBC. To be precise, a team of at least 60 to 70 officers are involved in the survey that is underway at BBC's Delhi and Mumbai offices. It has been learnt that the phones of the officers involved in the survey are switched off and people are being restricted to enter or leave the BBC office. Talking about IT raids on BBC office updates, reports suggest that documents were seized and phones and laptops of journalists were taken away. The offices will be sealed for the duration of the survey and employees have been asked not to share details with anyone. Tax officials have reportedly told the journalist that this was a survey, not a search, and that the phones would be returned.
An IT official in the known development was quoted by a news portal. He said, "We needed some clarifications and for that our team is visiting the BBC office and we are carrying out a survey. Our officers have gone to check account books, these are not searches." Now, the question arises why the IT department is carrying out surveys at the BBC's offices. Reports suggest that IT officials were carrying out a "survey" over allegations of international taxation and transfer pricing irregularities involving the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation).
Amid PM Modi documentary row, Income Tax Department survey BBC office in suspected tax evasion case
Notably, the BBC has been in controversy after it aired a documentary accusing Prime Minister Modi's hands in the Gujrat riots. Despite the fact, the Supreme Court of India gave a clean chit to PM Modi in the Gujrat riots, the BBC's documentary suggested that he was in some way involved in this. The BBC documentary also started a political fight and multiple universities including JNU aired the controversial documentary made by the BBC inside the University premises.