NEW DELHI, 14 Feb: The income tax (IT) department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of a tax evasion investigation, officials said.
The surprise action comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots and India.
The department is looking at documents related to the business operations of the company and those related to its Indian arm, they said.
As part of a survey, the income tax department only covers the business premises of a company and does not raid residences and other locations of its promoters or directors.
Cong condemns ‘intimidation tactics’
Meanwhile, the Congress on Tuesday termed “intimidation tactics” the IT survey operation at the BBC offices and alleged that the action shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that, while the party is demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe on the Adani issue, the “government is after the BBC.”
He also used a Hindi idiom to attack the government, saying “Vinash kale, vipreet buddhi” (When doom approaches, a person’s intellect works against his interest).
“Here we are demanding JPC on the Adani issue but the government is after the BBC. Vinash kale, viprit buddhi,” Ramesh said.
Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the IT raid at BBC’s offices “reeks of desperation and shows that the Modi government is scared of criticism.”
“We condemn these intimidation tactics in the harshest terms. This undemocratic and dictatorial attitude cannot go on any longer,” he said in a tweet.
The action by the IT department comes weeks after the broadcaster aired a two-part documentary – India: The Modi Question. (PTI)