BBC on IT Radar: The “surveys” were part of a “tax evasion inquiry” Says I-T department
BBC on IT Radar: The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) offices in Delhi and Mumbai were investigated by the Income Tax Department on Tuesday over possible tax fraud and irregularities involving international tax and TDS transactions, according to the I-T officials. The Income Tax Department sent a team of 15 Officials to conduct the ‘survey’. Till now staff mobiles phones, laptops and documents are seized.
BBC in a tweet informed, “The Income Tax Authorities are currently at the BBC offices in New Delhi and Mumbai and we are fully cooperating. We hope to have this situation resolved as soon as possible.”
According to the reports, BBC, in a memo to the staff, asked those not in office to stay away and those at work to not panic, reportedly saying, “We are handling the situation”.
While the I-T officials told media, “We needed some clarifications and for that our team is visiting BBC office and we are carrying out a survey. Our officers have gone to check account books, these are not searches.” Asserting that it is the survey of the BBC’s finance department for details of balance sheets and accounts.
BBC, in a memo to staff, asked those not in office to stay away and those at work to not panic, reportedly saying, “We are handling the situation”.
Tax officials insisted that this was a survey, not a search, and that the phones would be returned.
“We needed some clarifications and for that our team is visiting BBC office and we are carrying out a survey. Our officers have gone to check account books, these are not searches,” Income Tax sources asserted, adding that the taxmen asked the BBC’s finance department for details of balance sheets and accounts.
BBC, in a memo to staff, asked those not in office to stay away and those at work to not panic, reportedly saying, “We are handling the situation”.
Tax officials insisted that this was a survey, not a search, and that the phones would be returned.
“We needed some clarifications and for that our team is visiting BBC office and we are carrying out a survey. Our officers have gone to check account books, these are not searches,” Income Tax sources asserted, adding that the taxmen asked the BBC’s finance department for details of balance sheets and accounts.
BBC, in a memo to staff, asked those not in office to stay away and those at work to not panic, reportedly saying, “We are handling the situation”.
Tax officials insisted that this was a survey, not a search, and that the phones would be returned.
“We needed some clarifications and for that our team is visiting BBC office and we are carrying out a survey. Our officers have gone to check account books, these are not searches,” Income Tax sources asserted, adding that the taxmen asked the BBC’s finance department for details of balance sheets and accounts.
While the Editor Guild of India has expressed deep concerns over ‘IT survey’ and said that it is distressed by the continuing trend of government agencies being used to intimidate and harass news organizations that are critical of ruling establishment.
EGI is deeply concerned about the IT “surveys” being carried out at the offices of BBC India. Is distressed by the continuing trend of government agencies being used to intimidate and harass news organisations that are critical of ruling establishment. pic.twitter.com/hM7ZkrdOiq
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) February 14, 2023
Anybody who speaks of the Gujarat 2002 carnage, writes, investigates it, is bound to face the vindictiveness and the wrath of the regime. It is a pattern in case you missed it #BBC pic.twitter.com/nZVbppZLJX
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) February 14, 2023
The surveys were undertaken a few weeks after the BBC broadcast the two-part documentary, “India: The Modi Question,” which focuses on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his state government’s response to the Gujarat riots of 2002. The Centre had requested that links to the documentary be removed from Twitter and YouTube because they were “a propaganda piece aimed to advance a certain discredited narrative.”
The documentary, according to BJP officials, has “the potential to adversely affect” both the country’s “friendly relations with foreign governments” and “public order within the country” and is “undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India.”
In response to the BBC office raids, Congress declared an “undeclared emergency.”
“First came the BBC documentary, it was banned. Now IT has raided the BBC. Undeclared emergency,” tweeted a Congress official.
Read more- BBC excludes J&K from Indian Map! 3 Fake News of The Week
पहले BBC की डॉक्यूमेंट्री आई, उसे बैन किया गया।
अब BBC पर IT का छापा पड़ गया है।
अघोषित आपातकाल
— Congress (@INCIndia) February 14, 2023
In an exclusive interview with the news agency ANI. “Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, responded to the BBC documentary on Prime Minister Modi “You can conspire all you want, but the truth will win and shine like the sun. Since 2002, these people have been pursuing Modiji. But each time, Modiji has maintained his integrity and grown in popularity.”.
Several Opposition leaders have slammed the Modi govt over this raid. SP Supremo Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “When governance and administration become symbols of fear and oppression instead of fearlessness and fearlessness, then it should be understood that their end is near.”
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